The May Daring Kitchen challenge was brought to us by Tandy of Lavender and Lime, who provided us with a beautiful bread recipe and a fun twisting technique to shape it. I used to bake bread almost weekly, and this was a nice reminder of how much I like doing it. Homemade bread really is magical, especially when it looks this pretty.

I made this bread after a rather catastrophic fail at another recipe (watch for that post in the next few weeks), so I was really pleased with how easy it was and how well it turned out, despite my forgetting to add the sugar to the dough at the start of the recipe and having to knead it in at the end. The dough is wonderfully soft and smooth and easy to handle, and the shaping technique is pretty fun too: all the filling stays on the inside, except for a few spots where you get a hint of what’s inside this beautiful bronzed bread wreath. I riffed off of Tandy’s original recipe with sundried tomatoes and rosemary, replacing the tomatoes with olives and adding a sprinkle of grated parmesan. It could probably have used more parmesan (things can almost always use more cheese, in my opinion) but otherwise, this bread was great: soft and delicious inside, crusty outside, punctuated with salty olives and savoury rosemary. And it smelled INSANE baking in the oven. We ate it with soup, but it would also be great as the bread component of a big family meal, or served alongside an antipasto platter with meats, sliced cheeses, olives and marinated grilled veggies.

Olive, Rosemary & Parmesan Twist Bread

Adapted from the May 2016 Daring Kitchen Challenge (bread recipe adapted from Jamie Geller’s Joy of Kosher). Makes one large bread wreath.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together:

680 g all purpose flour

15 g instant yeast

50 g granulated sugar

In a liquid measuring cup, mix together:

375 ml room temperature water

1 egg yolk (save the egg white for the egg wash later in the recipe)

60 ml olive oil

Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour and with the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until the dough forms into a shaggy ball.

Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for about 20 minutes – this is called “autolyse” and it helps allows the liquid to fully hydrate the flour and activate the gluten.

After 20 minutes of rest, add 22 g kosher salt to the dough and knead on medium speed for 5-7 minutes, until the salt is fully incorporated and the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic and it cleans the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Gather up the dough into a ball and take it out of the bowl. Grease the bowl with a tiny bit of olive oil, then put the dough back in and turn it over a few times to coat it with the oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it somewhere warm to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size. Punch down the dough gently to deflate it, then cover again and let rise for another hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and shape it into a rectangle, about 10″ by 16″. Top the dough with:

50 g grated parmesan

150 g mixed olives, pitted and roughly chopped

5 g chopped fresh rosemary

Roll up the dough tightly from one long end and pinch the seam closed to seal it. With a large sharp knife, cut down the middle of the roll but not all the way through to the bottom, allowing the two halves to fall open slightly.

Grasp the dough from one end and begin twisting so that the filling stays inside and the dough resembles a rope.

Bring the two ends together, wrapping one inside the other, to form a circle, and transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 375˚F (350˚F convection) and make an egg wash of the reserved egg white whisked with 1 tsp water and a pinch of salt.

After 30 minutes, brush the dough with the egg wash.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated 375˚F (350˚F convection) oven, then reduce the heat to 350˚F (325˚F convection) and bake for another 45 minutes, until deeply bronzed on the outside.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack before slicing (if you can resist cutting into it while it’s still warm!).

Along with the perfect Christmas dessert and the best Christmas cookies, every year I’m on the look out for a delicious holiday breakfast or brunch pastry – and this year, I think I may have stumbled on it kind of by accident. I had half a batch of challah dough in my freezer, a container of cranberry sauce leftover from Thanksgiving, and I’d just seen a photo of the beautiful poppy seed tea “braid” from Luisa Weiss‘ Classic German Baking – and it all came together in a swirly braid filled with cranberry sauce, white chocolate chunks, and lemon zest, glazed with a lemony icing. It was a huge loaf, so I gave some to friends and planned to take the rest to work to share with my colleagues… but plans changed when Nate and I discovered how good it was, and we ate it all ourselves! (Sorry, colleagues!)

Despite the complicated-looking shape, this is loaf really easy to make. The base is the challah dough from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day, which you literally just mix and then leave alone, and it turns into a gorgeous sweet dough. Once you roll it up around the filling, the “braid” is formed by cutting the cylinder of dough into slices but leaving them attached at the bottom – sort of like a Hasselback potato – and then fanning them out to each side. It looks impressive but most importantly tastes amazing – the tart cranberries and zingy lemon keep it from being too rich, and the white chocolate gets wonderfully caramelized in the oven. Definitely worthy of a holiday breakfast table!

Cranberry White Chocolate Lemon Tea Braid

This recipe is quick to put together but it does require some planning ahead for the hands-off time. To serve it freshly baked in the morning, here’s the schedule I’d follow: make the dough the morning before and refrigerate it all day. In the evening, assemble and shape the braid, then let it rest overnight in the fridge and bake the next morning. Makes 1 large tea loaf.

Mix up half a batch of challah dough (or make a full batch and freeze half of it for later). After it has risen and chilled and is ready to use as per the recipe, lightly flour it and shape it into a ball.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a 16″ x 12″ rectangle, and spread it with 1/2 cup cranberry sauce, leaving a 1″ border along the long edges. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate and the grated zest of 1/2 a lemon.

From one long edge, roll up the dough into a cylinder, then pinch to seal.

Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With a serrated knife or kitchen shears, gently cut the cylinder into slices about 1 1/4 inch thick, but do not cut all the way through to the bottom – you want each slice to be connected along the bottom. This can get a little messy because the dough is soft and the filling is slippery, so be gentle and patient.

Gently twist each slice so that the cut side faces up and lay it to the side, alternating right and left.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for an hour, or overnight in the fridge.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F convection) and bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown and the middle of each rolled slice is set. Place on a rack to cool while you make the glaze.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

grated zest of 1/2 a lemon

The glaze should be like runny honey – add more confectioner’s sugar or lemon juice to adjust the consistency.

Brush the glaze over the barely warm or cooled loaf and let it set before serving. This loaf is best the day it is baked, but can be kept, wrapped, up to 2 days at room temperature.

Save

Save

Save

I’ve been feeling a little bereft after the disbanding of the Daring Kitchen last month – those challenges have been a constant in my life and on this blog for the past six (!!) years, and they always provided me with that nudge to get in the kitchen, make something, and post about it, no matter how busy or unmotivated I might otherwise be. So, I’m pleased to have found a new monthly challenge to take part in, hosted by Gabby, aka The Food Girl in Town. Myself and eight other bloggers will be cooking, baking, and eating our way “Around the World in 12 Plates” (or ATW12P), expanding our horizons and learning about other cultures through my favourite medium: food! Each month will feature the cuisine of a different country and our task is to do some research, choose a recipe (or several), and make something we haven’t made before. I am all about baking, so that’s how I’ll (most likely) be participating.

With Chinese New Year beginning on January 28, we fittingly begin our journey around the world this month in China. Chinese baking isn’t something I’m super familiar with beyond the delicious honey buns and barbequed pork-stuffed buns available in Chinatown, so I first did a Google search to figure out 1) what is out there, and 2) what is authentically Chinese. I discovered that Chinese baking favours buns of all kinds – steamed or baked, plain or stuffed with sweet or savoury fillings or wrapped around hotdogs, topped with crunchy sweetness or even rolled in pork jerky fluff. I’ve made a few Asian-style buns in the past – steamed and filled with barbequed pork, and baked and filled with coconut custard – but they were both pretty loose interpretations of anything authentic. So, after reading several delicious-sounding descriptions and finding out that it is #440 on the list of Hong Kong’s 480 living heritage items and therefore reliably authentic, I settled on the pineapple bun (you can read an interesting history of the bun in Hong Kong here).

Despite its name, the pineapple bun contains no actual pineapple: instead, it is a soft, sweet bun covered in a crunchy, cookie-like topping that bakes up golden brown and textured and is supposed to resemble the rind of a pineapple. And though it is pineapple-less, it is very, very good. Traditionally eaten for breakfast or with dim sum, these buns are either served plain or split and sandwiched around a slab of butter. No, not a smear of butter – a slab! I can attest that it is delicious (but really, how could it not be?!). Most Chinese buns and baked goods are meant to be consumed as soon as possible and preferably warm out of the oven, as they tend to lose their freshness quickly, however this recipe adds tang zhong, or water roux, to the traditional milk dough, giving it an improved shelf life as well as a light, fluffy texture. You can store any leftover buns on an airtight container, where the crunchy topping softens a little and becomes almost cakey and crumbly. Mmmmm.

Want to see more Chinese cuisine? Check out the other ATW12P blog posts:

• Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen
• The Tasty Gardener
• My Organic Diary
• All Things Nice!
• SugarLovesSpice
• The Food Girl in Town

And if you want to follow along on social media, check us out #ATW12P

Hong Kong Style Pineapple Buns

Adapted from Yi Reservation. Makes 10 buns.

Bun Dough

First, make the tang zhong (water roux). In a small saucepan, whisk together:

80 ml milk

20 g all purpose flour

Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk the mixture as it heats up and starts to thicken. As it reaches a boil, it will turn into a thick paste. Cook for a minute or two until it is thick enough to form “soft peaks”.

Scrape the tang zhong into a bowl, press a piece of plastic to the surface (this prevents a skin from forming), and chill in the fridge until cool. This can be done the day before if you prefer.

When the tang zhong is cool, continue with the rest of the dough recipe. In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together:

310 g bread flour

50 g granulated white sugar

5 g instant yeast

3 g fine sea salt

Make a well in the center of the flour and add:

the cooled tang zhong

100 ml warm milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix with the dough hook on medium speed to bring the dough together – it may seem crumbly at first but should come together in a soft, slightly sticky dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. I added about 2 tsp water to achieve this. Continue to knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Add 50 g soft unsalted butter. The dough will get really messy so scrape down the sides of the bowl and pull the dough off the dough hook several times during kneading to make sure it is mixed evenly.

Knead until the dough is again smooth and cohesive.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 to 90 minutes.

While the dough rises, prepare the pineapple topping.

Pineapple Topping

In a medium bowl, cream together until well combined and fluffy:

50 g soft unsalted butter

1 egg yolk

45 g granulated white sugar

Add 2 tsp milk and beat until combined.

In a bowl, whisk together:

110 g cake flour

10 g powdered milk

2 g salt

slightly heaped 1/2 tsp baking powder

Add the dry ingredients to the cream butter mixture and stir to combine – it should resemble cookie dough. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill while the dough rises.

Bun Assembly

Turn the risen dough out onto a flour surface and knead a few times to deflate. Shape into a ball and cut into 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Let rest for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, divide the pineapple topping into 10 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place one ball between two pieces of plastic wrap and using a small cutting board or bottom of a plate, press down and squish the ball into a 4″ circle.

Peel the pineapple topping off the plastic wrap and drape it over one of the shaped buns, pressing gently to adhere and tucking and folding the edges to fit around the bun. Repeat with the remaining pineapple dough and buns.

With the blunt edge of a dinner knife, score a crosshatch pattern over each bun, taking care not to cut all the way through the pineapple topping.

Cover the buns lightly with plastic wrap and set them somewhere warm to rise for 30-45 minutes, until almost double in size.

Preheat the oven to 380˚F (355˚F convection). Whisk together an egg wash of 1 egg yolk + 2 tsp water and brush it over the pineapple topping on the buns – this will make them extra yellow and shiny.

Bake for 8 minutes at 380˚F (355˚F convection), then reduce the heat to 350˚F (325˚F) and bake an additional 10 minutes, until golden on top and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack and serve while still warm if possible. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Every Easter for the past six years, I’ve posted a recipe for hot cross buns, so rather than post version number seven this year, I decided to branch out and explore another kind of Easter bread: the Italian Crescia al Formaggio, an egg-rich bread loaded with parmigiano reggiano and spiced with cracked black pepper.

I’ve been on a bit of a bread baking kick lately (by which I mean I’ve made bread twice this month, but that’s twice more than I have any other month in the past year) and I’m reminded of why I love it so much. Homemade bread rocks. Taking flour, yeast, and water (and in the case of Crescia al Formaggio, some butter, eggs, and about $10-worth of imported Italian parmesan cheese – it’s a special occasion bread for sure) and turning it from raw ingredients into a gorgeous loaf of delicious bread is like having a super power. And no, I’m not hyperbolizing (much).

Crescia al Formaggio in particular is pretty spectacular: instead of kneading the high hydration dough with a dough hook, you beat it with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until it is shiny and stretchy, giving it an amazing light and fluffy yet chewy and shreddable texture. Combined with the savoury, umami-rich parmesan, the end result is a loaf of bread that slices like a dream and makes the best toast imaginable. And though I’m still going to make a batch of hot cross buns this year (I have my eye on Aimee’s maple version), if you were to present this bread at your Easter breakfast table instead, I am quite sure that no one would be complaining.

Crescia al Formaggio

Adapted very slightly from King Arthur Flour. Makes one 9″ x 5″ loaf.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together:

298 g (2 1/2 cups) unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Make a well in the middle and add:

3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature and lightly beaten together (reserve the extra egg white for later)

57 g (1/4 cup) softened unsalted butter

57 ml (1/4 cup) lukewarm water

Mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment for 10 minutes – the dough will be quite loose and sticky at first, and then will become very elastic and shiny by the end. Scrape it off the paddle and down the sides of the bowl several times during mixing.

Add in 170 g (1 1/4 cup) grated parmigiano reggiano (or asiago or pecorino romano or a mix – but make sure you use good quality cheese as you will really taste it and that’s the point of this bread!).

Mix again until well combined – this will be a bit of a challenge, but keep scraping the dough off the paddle every so often and you’ll get there.

Shape the dough into a ball (it will still be quite soft and tacky but not overly sticky) and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let rest/rise at room temperature for an hour.

It likely won’t do much or change shape but that’s OK. Punch it down gently, turn it over, cover again, and let rest/rise for another hour.

This bread is traditionally baked in a round shape, but a braided loaf is so pretty. To do this, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface (or use a silicon rolling mat like I did), divide into 3 equal pieces, and shape each into a 12″ log.

The easiest way to end up with an even braid is to start the braid from the middle and work out to one end, then flip the whole thing over and start braiding again from the middle to the other end (here’s a handy video showing how it’s done. Squish the ends together and tuck them securely under the braid.

Lightly oil a 9″ x 5″ loaf tin and line it with parchment paper for extra insurance (I’ve learned the hard way not to trust an un-lined loaf pan…). Nestle the braided loaf in the pan and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rest/rise for another 2 hours or so at room temperature, OR you can refrigerate it overnight and give it a long, slow, cold rise. Either way, the loaf won’t double in size but it should look noticeably puffy.

Preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection). Beat the reserved egg white with a splash of water and a pinch of salt and brush it over the risen loaf.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425˚F (400˚F convection), then reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F (325˚F convection) and tent the loaf loosely with foil.

Bake another 30-35 minutes, until deeply golden brown (feel free to remove the foil in the last 5 minutes to achieve this if necessary) and the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 195˚F.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides and lift the loaf out of the pan. Cool completely on a rack before slicing. The loaf can be stored for several days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Save

Save

I’m a sucker for beautiful bread, and Israeli-Danish baker Uri Scheft makes some of the most beautiful bread I have ever seen. I found a Google Books preview of his recent book, Breaking Breads, and his challah – OH THE CHALLAH – is so lovely I could weep. It reminds me of some rare and mysterious sea creature. Seriously, go look at it right now. Page 41. I’ll wait.

[…whistles, twiddles thumbs…]

Anyway, when Israel was announced as the Around the World in 12 Plates destination for May, I knew immediately that I would be making Uri’s challah. So I did! I’ve made challah before and gotten fancy with the braiding, but this time I got extra fancy with both the braiding AND the garnishing, because challah is a special occasion bread, after all.

This recipe is pretty standard as far as challah recipes go – flour, water, yeast, salt, egg, oil, and a little sugar – but it ends up being very delicious and wonderful to play with and shape. The only thing I’d do differently is to proof the yeast first – I used active dry yeast and just added it straight to the flour, and it took forever to activate once it was mixed into the dough, which made for a very long rise time. Lots of flavour as a result, but I also think it didn’t rise as much as it could have. But I’m still pretty pleased with how these loaves turned out – not quite the underwater-looking beauties that Uri makes, but close enough!

Some other things I learned about challah: the intertwined arms of the braid symbolize love, unity, justice, and peace; a round challah symbolizes the circle of life and wholeness of the universe; the seeds on top symbolize plenty and fertility; and you’re not supposed to cut challah with a knife – instead you’re supposed to tear with your hands (but it’s harder to show the crumb that way, so, uh, oops…).

Check out the other ATW12P bloggers for more delicious Israeli cuisine!

• My Organic Diary – Homemade Hummus
• Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen – Israeli Feast
• Sugar Loves Spices – Semolina Cake Soaked in Orange Blossom Syrup
• The Food Girl in Town – Khachapuri: Georgian Egg and Cheese Bread

Uri Scheft’s Challah

Recipe from Breaking Breads, via Epicurious and Google Books. Makes 3 small loaves.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine:

400 g (1 2/3 c) room temperature water

15 g (1 tbsp + 1 3/4 tsp) active dry yeast

5 g (1 tsp) granulated sugar

Stir and let proof until the yeast starts to bubble, then add:

1 kilo (7 cups) all purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

95 g (1/2 c less 1 tsp) granulated white sugar

15 g (1 tbsp) fine salt

75 g (5 tbsp) sunflower or canola oil

Mix on low speed with the dough hook until combined, about 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate all the flour. Add a few drops of water if there is still lots of flour in the bottom of the bowl, or a little extra flour if the dough is very sticky.

Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead for about 4 minutes, until smooth. The dough should be a bit firm.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to stretch and tear the top half of the dough away from you, then fold it over on itself, give it a quarter turn, and repeat. Continue for about 1 minute, then shape the dough into a smooth ball.

Lightly dust a bowl with flour and place the dough inside. Sprinkle a little flour on top and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for about 40 minutes, until it has risen by about 70% (which might take longer, depending on how cool your house is).

Gently scrape the risen dough out of the bowl and shape it into a rectangle. With a dough scraper or large knife, divide into three equal pieces. Divide each of the three pieces into however many strands you want each loaf to have.

Place each small piece of dough lengthwise on your work surface, then flatten it with your palm into a rectangle. Fold the top third into the middle and press it firmly, then repeat the fold and pres three more times, essentially making a very compact cylinder of dough about 7 inches long. Repeat with all the remaining small pieces of dough.

Braid and decorate the dough as directed below, then place each shaped loaf on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes depending on room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection) with the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.

Test that the loaves are ready to bake by pressing on the loaf gently with your finger – if the depression fills in half way, they are ready to bake.

Whisk together an egg wash of 1 large egg, 1 tbsp water, and a pinch of salt. Brush it evenly over the proofed loaves in a thin coating and sprinkle them generously with the seeds of your choice. For a multi-seed challah, try 4-5 different kinds – I used sesame, poppy, pumpkin, and sunflower.

Bake in the top and bottom of the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then rotate the pans top and bottom and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 195˚F. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving.

Braided Round Loaf

Take 3 shaped cylinders of dough and roll them out with your palms on an unfloured work surface into 14 inch ropes, pressing lightly on the ends of the ropes so they are tapered.

Lightly dust the ropes with flour (this will keep them distinct once braided together) then braid them together, either pressing the ends together or leaving them loose.

Form the braid into a circle, either tucking the ends of the braid underneath or sort of weaving them together loosely.

Four Strand Braid

Take 4 shaped cylinders of dough and roll them out as above to about 9 inches long and tapered. Flour each strand, place them side by side, and use something to weigh down the ends together.

Take the right-most strand and move it over one strand to the left. Take the second-to-the-left strand, and move it all the way over to the right.

Now repeat those two moves in the other direction. Take the left-most strand and move it over one strand to the right. Take the second-to-the-right strand, and move it all the way over to the left.

Repeat until you get to the end of the dough, then press the ends together firmly.

Final Decorations

Before dividing the three large portions of dough into smaller strands, cut off about 50 g of dough and shape it into a cylinder as directed above.

To make a braid decoration, divide the cylinder into three pieces and roll each out into a thin rope about 12 inches long. Flour the strands, then braid, leaving the ends loose. Brush the braid with egg wash on both sides and roll it in poppy seeds.

Use some egg wash to stick the braid to the shaped loaf, then proof, egg wash, sprinkle, and bake the loaf as directed.

To make an epi decoration, roll out a single strand of dough into a rope about 12 inches long, brush it with egg wash, and roll it in poppy seeds. Stick it to a shaped loaf with egg wash, then use scissors held at a steep angle to cut little ears in the dough rope and turn each ear to one side, alternating left and right. Proof, egg wash, sprinkle, and bake the loaf as directed.

Save

Save

Save

With our Around the World in 12 Plates leader, Gabby, spending the month of July in Turkey on an archaeological dig (#lifegoals), it only made sense that this month’s destination was Turkey! Seeing her post delicious-looking photos of her meals on Facebook, I was intrigued by her mention of a bread called “simit” that is commonly eaten at breakfast (although it is also popular as a snack any time of day). Simit is sometimes called a “Turkish bagel” because of its round shape, hole in the middle, and sesame seed-covered exterior. Made with a very simple lean dough (just flour, water, yeast, and salt), the dough is rolled out into long ropes and twisted together before being shaped into rings, giving simit its characteristic coiled look. Before baking, each ring is dipped in a mixture of pekmez (a fruit-based, molasses-like syrup – I improvised with half regular molasses, half pomegranate molasses) and water, then coated in sesame seeds and baked until crisp. Once cooled, the crust softens slightly and yields to a deliciously stretchy, soft yet chewy inside.

A Turkish breakfast might consist of simit served with a feta-like cheese, sliced cucumbers, fresh tomatoes, and hard boiled eggs… however I enjoyed it immensely with a pat of butter, and leftovers are incredibly delicious sliced and lightly toasted like a bagel and spread with jam. They are pretty easy to make, and the effort is well worth it. My only warning is that the sesame seeds are messy, so make sure you have a napkin

Want more Turkish cuisine? Check out the offerings from the other ATW12P bloggers this month (and check out #ATW12P on Instagram, too!):

Sugar Loves Spice

Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen

The Food Girl in Town

Turkish Simit Bread

Adapted from Ozlem’s Turkish Table. Makes 6 rings.

In a small bowl of liquid measuring cup, dissolve a pinch granulated sugar in 50 ml warm water. Sprinkle 1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast over the water and let it sit for several minutes, until the yeast is foamy.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together:

300 g all purpose flour

scant 1 tsp sea salt

Add the foamy yeast to the flour mixture, along with 170 ml warm water.

Stir to combine, and add more flour or water as necessary to get a shaggy dough (the dough in the picture below was too sticky – I added more flour.)

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for several minutes, until soft and elastic but no longer super sticky.

Oil a medium bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour at room temperature, until doubled in size.

Gently punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide into 6 equal pieces (each weighing around 110 g) and shape them into balls.

In shallow bowl, combine:

75 ml pekmez or a combination of half molasses / half pomegranate molasses

50 ml water

Spread 140 g sesame seeds on a plate.

One at a time, roll each ball of dough into a rope about 22 inches long. Fold it in half and give it a several twists.

Form the twist into a ring, pressing and rolling the ends together firmly.

Dip the ring into the pekmez/molasses mixture on both sides and allow an excess to drain off…

…then dip both sides in the sesame seeds.

Place the simit on a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough, then let the rings rest for about 20 minutes, until slightly puffed.

While the simit rest, preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection). Bake the simit for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack before serving.

Simit are best eaten the day they are baked, but they can be revived very successfully in the toaster and can apparently be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. But I doubt you’ll have to take that step!

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Before we get caught up in the pumpkin spice madness that seems to take hold in the fall, let’s take a moment to appreciate the humble grape. Grapes are one of those fruits that I could usually take or leave, except for during the small window from the end of September to early October when Concord grapes are in season. So ten days ago when I saw some Coronation grapes – similar to Concords with with their dark blue-ish purple skin and tangy juice – at the grocery store, I snapped them up because 1) YUM and 2) I’ve been wanting to make schiacciata con l’uva, a Tuscan grape focaccia only made in September to coincide with the wine grape harvest, commonly made with Concord or similar grapes elsewhere in the world. And WOW – this stuff is amazing, the purple grape-iness mingled with rosemary, all sprinkled with coarse sugar and a little salt, not to mention the olive-oil infused focaccia bread base.

Yes, grapes on flatbread might seem a little weird. Nate thought so, but he also had no problem polishing off several pieces in one sitting. I, on the other hand, LOVED it, and if you like salty-sweet, crispy-soft, juicy-tangy-savoury things, then you probably will too. It would be particularly wonderful served with a cheese plate and some wine. And, as I currently have a fractured-and-useless left elbow, I can attest that it’s simple enough to make with only one hand, thanks to my trusty KitchenAid mixer who took care of the kneading and the fact that the recipe requires mostly resting and rising time and not much else.

A word about grapes: you want to use Concord or a similar grape here, not red or green table grapes. Look for something small and dusty purple that tastes like Welch’s purple grape juice or the grape jelly you get in little packets at breakfast joints. Big watery green or red grapes won’t cut it. Also, Concord grapes have seeds and many people suggest seeding them before using them in schiacciata con l’uva. The Coronation grapes I used are supposed to be seedless, but mine did have little seeds – however they were fairly innocuous and I kind of liked the textural crunch they added, so I left the seeds in. You can seed or not as you wish!

Focaccia with Grapes & Rosemary {Schiacciata con L’uva}

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen. Makes 2 flatbreads.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:

3/4 cup warm water (~105˚F to 110˚F)

2 tbsp warm milk

1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Leave for about 10 minutes for the yeast to proof (aka wake up and start bubbling). When the mixture is foamy, you can continue.

Add:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp fine salt

2 tbsp olive oil

Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until it comes together in a sticky dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and cleans the sides of the bowl. It will still be a bit sticky to the touch.

Smear the inside of a large bowl with olive oil and put the dough inside. Smear the top of the dough with more olive oil, then cover with plastic wrap and leave somewhere cool to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Dust the top of the risen dough lightly with four, then gently press down with your hand to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Gather each piece into a ball.

Brush a 13″x18″ sheet pan generously with olive oil and place the 2 dough balls on it, seams down. Brush the dough with more olive oil, then cover with a tea towel and rest for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, use your fingertips to press each dough ball into an oval, leaving about an inch between the two flatbreads and the edges of the baking sheet. Cover again with the tea towel and rest/rise in a cool place for another 1 1/4 hours.

When the dough has rested, preheat the oven to 450˚F (425˚F convection bake). Brush the dough with an additional 2 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with:

1 1/4 cups halved (and seeded, if that’s your thing) Concord or similar grapes

1 tsp fresh minced rosemary

2 tbsp coarse raw sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

Bake in the preheated 450˚F (425˚F convection bake) oven for 13-15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown around the edges.

Cool, then cut into wedges and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This doesn’t keep well, but you should have no problem finishing it off at once.

Save

To make up for the fact that I’ve been a slacker these last few months with Around the World in 12 Plates, I’m bringing not one but TWO recipes to this month’s party. Sweden was November’s destination, and similar to their Danish neighbours’ appreciation for hygge – enjoying simple pleasures and general coziness – the Swedes have a serious appreciation for fika, which you could sort of think of as coffee break hygge. But fika is not buying a to-go coffee and inhaling it in your car on the way to somewhere else – it is intentionally slowing down to drink a cup of coffee (or tea), eat some kind of delicious baked good, and enjoy yourself – either alone or with friends. It is so much a part of Swedish culture that workers have fika breaks built into their work days.

So with a culture of fika comes a culture of delicious things to eat during fika – something I can totally get behind. One well-known Swedish fika treat is the kanelbullar, a cinnamon bun made with cardamom-scented dough, cinnamon-sugar filling, and topped with pearl sugar. Unlike humongous, frosting-covered Western cinnamon buns, kanelbullar are small and not too sweet – but no less delicious with their buttery dough and spices. The recipe I’m sharing makes about 20 small buns, meaning they are perfect for sharing with friends and co-workers to enjoy on your coffee break together.

When researching Swedish fika treats, I also came across the chokladbiskvier, also known as the Sarah Bernhardt cookie in Denmark. I don’t know who had the recipe first – the Danes or the Swedes – but I do know that it is one delicious cookie: an almond macaroon bottom topped with a chocolate buttercream spread into a pointed cone and covered in a shell of dark chocolate. They are chewy, crispy, creamy, and crunchy all at once, and despite their slight finicky-ness (spreading the buttercream on each cookie and then dipping each one carefully in chocolate is a bit of an exercise in patience) they are totally worth it. The recipe below makes more chokladbiskvier than anyone really needs at once (they are pretty rich!) but extras can be kept in the freezer, and eating them frozen only makes them better.

Swedes fika at all times of the year, but snuggling up with a cup of coffee and one (or both) of these goodies seems like an especially good idea on a rainy day at the end of November!

For more Swedish cuisine this month, check out the other ATW12P bloggers:

Dish ‘n’ The Kitchen – Swedish Räksmörgås (Bling Sandwich)

Sugar Love Spices – Swedish Raggmunk (Potato Pancakes)

The Food Girl in Town – Prinsesstårta (Princess Cake)

Kanelbullar

Adapted from kokblog. Makes 20 buns.

I took a leaf from Food52 and instead of only using the ground up black cardamom seeds in this recipe, I toasted whole cardamom pods, then ground them up, green pods and all. This produces the most wonderfully pungent, citrusy, almost resinous cardamom flavour – much brighter and bolder than just using the ground up seeds.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine:

250 ml warm milk (about 110˚F)

8 g active dry yeast

Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast begins to foam.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

420 g all purpose flour

65 g brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp ground cardamon (toasted whole and ground fresh, pod and all, if possible)

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Add the flour mixture to the proofed yeast, along with 150 g unsalted softened butter, cut in cubes. Mix on low speed with the dough hook to form a shaggy dough, then increase speed to medium and continue kneading 5-10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic and cleans the sides of the bowl.

Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until about doubled in size, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream together the filling:

65 g unsalted softened butter

35 g granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch fine sea salt

On a floured surface, roll the risen dough out into a 20″ x 10″ rectangle. Spread it with the filling, leaving a 1/2″ border around the edges.

Starting at one long edge, roll up into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. With a serrated knife, cut into 20 pieces, each about 1″ thick.

Place each piece in a paper muffin liner on a baking sheet (or you can just arrange them about 1″ apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet). Cover lightly with plastic and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until puffy.

While they rise, preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection). Whisk together an egg wash of 1 egg + 1 tbsp water and brush it over top of each risen bun, then sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in the preheated 425˚F (400˚F convection) oven for 10-12 minutes until deep golden brown and just firm in the middles (they will continue to cook as they cool). Cool on a rack, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Chokladbiskvier

Adapted from I’m Ida on YouTube. Makes about 30 cookies.

I used homemade almond paste that was quite soft, so my resulting batter was on the loose side and my almond macaroon cookie bases came out a bit flat (but still delicious). I found that I could have used more filling per cookie and I ran out of filling before I ran out of cookies, so I’ve increased the filling amount by 50%.

Almond Macaroon Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F convection). In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:

250 g almond paste

150 g granulated sugar

Mix together until cohesive, then slowly mix in 2 egg whites and beat on medium high speed until smooth.

Scrape the batter into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe the batter into 2″ rounds, leaving about 1″ between them. Bake in the preheated 350˚F (325˚F convection) oven for about 13 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet, then peel the cookies off the parchment paper and turn them upside down.

Chocolate Buttercream Filling

In a medium saucepan, combine:

140 g granulated sugar

57 g water

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar syrup reaches 242˚F on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together:

3 egg yolks

seeds from 1/3 vanilla bean

When the sugar syrup reaches 242˚F, pour it in a thin stream down the side of the mixer bowl into the egg yolks, whisking constantly on medium speed. You want to avoid pouring the syrup directly onto the whisk or it will spatter all over the sides of the bowl rather than mixing into the egg yolks. Once the syrup is all added, increase the speed to medium high and continue whisking the egg yolk mixture until it is very pale, fluffy, and completely cool to the touch, about 15-20 minutes.

Once the egg yolk mixture is cool, reduce the speed to medium-low. Have ready 275 g unsalted softened butter cut into 1″ cubes, and add the butter to the egg yolks one cube at a time, allowing each to mix in before adding the next. Whisk on medium speed until the mixture emulsifies into a thick, creamy buttercream.

Sift in 23 g cocoa powder and 1 pinch fine sea salt and mix until completely combined.

Assembly

Divide the buttercream evenly over the flat bottom of each cooled almond macaroon cookie, and use a palette knife to spread it onto a smooth cone shape. Place the buttercream-topped cookies on a baking tray and refrigerate until hard, about 30 minutes.

Melt 250 g dark chocolate in the microwave (in 20 second bursts) or over a double boiler – you can temper it if you want to be fancy, but these cookies should be kept in the fridge or freezer so the tempering step doesn’t really matter.

Once the cookies are chilled, dip each one in the chocolate to completely cover the buttercream, letting the excess drip off before setting the cookie on its bottom on a baking tray.

Allow the cookies to set in the fridge before serving. The cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or longer in the freezer, and can be served at room temperature or chilled or frozen (my favourite!).

Imagine if a cinnamon bun and a croissant had a baby, only the baby was smarter, taller, better looking, and more popular than both its parents. This baby would be the Franzbrötchen, a cinnamon-sugar filled flaky pastry of German persuasion that is right up there among the best things I’ve ever baked.

This recipe comes from Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss (aka The Wednesday Chef) and like all the other recipes I’ve tried from this book so far, it is wonderful. It starts with a beautiful laminated Danish pastry dough – known as Plunderteig in German (isn’t German FUN?!) – and ends with a fun shaping technique that involves rolling the dough up with sugar and cinnamon, cutting it into little logs, and then using the handle of a wooden spoon to squish each log in the middle, making the spiral ends flare out.

In the oven, the layers of dough puff up and out, turning the Franzbrötchen into crazy crescent shapes. The edges are flaky and crisp, the middle is chewy, and did I mention the little puddles of caramelized cinnamon-sugar? Add a cup of coffee and you’re basically in heaven.

Make these. You will not be sorry, and anyone else lucky enough to try one will love you for it. Full disclosure, none of these made it out of my house – Nate and I ate them all over the course of a few days. We regret nothing. Not even a little.

Franzbrötchen

Adapted just a smidge from Classic German Baking. Makes 12 buns. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

4 2/3 cups (580 g) all purpose flour

1 tsp instant year

3 tbsp granulated sugar

3/4 tsp fine sea salt

Make a well in the middle.

In another bowl, whisk together:

3/4 c + 2 tbsp (200 ml) whole milk, lukewarm

2 eggs, room temperature

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring as you pour.

Add 4 tbsp + 2 tsp (65 g) unsalted room temperature butter, cut into small chunks, and stir until it forms a shaggy dough. Knead in the bowl with your hands to bring it together, then turn out onto an unfloured work surface.

Knead until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes). The dough will be slack and messy and very sticky at first, but resist adding any additional flour – kneading will do the trick.

Place the kneaded dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic, and let rise for 2 hours in a warm spot, until doubled in size (I put it in the oven with the oven light on and a bowl of hot water).

When the dough has risen, prepare the butter block. Place 1 cup + 2 tbsp (250 g) cold unsalted butter between two pieces of parchment paper, then bash it several times with a rolling pin. This will mechanically soften the butter and make it pliable without warming it up or melting it. Once the butter has flattened out and softened a bit, fold the parchment paper around it into an 8″ square packet. Turn the packet over so that the folded edges are underneath, then with the rolling pin, roll the butter out to the edges of the packet to make an 8″ butter square. Set it aside at room temperature, to keep it pliable.

Gently punch down the risen dough and scrape it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times, then roll it out into a 13″ square. Unwrap the butter square and place it diagonally on top of the dough. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter to completely encase it, and pinch the seams to secure.

Dust the dough with flour and roll out into an 8″x12″ rectangle. Brush off any excess flour, then execute a letter fold: mentally divide the dough into thirds, then fold the top third down and the bottom third up. Wrap lightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.

Repeat this rolling out to 8″x12″ / folding in thirds / chilling for 20 minutes twice more, for a total of three times.

Preheat the oven to 400˚F (375˚F convection). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

After the dough has chilled for the third time, cut it in half and return half to the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll the other half into a 13″ square.

In a small bowl, combine the filling:

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch fine sea salt

Sprinkle the dough evenly with half the cinnamon-sugar filling, right to the edges.

Roll up the dough into a tight cylinder and trim the ends to expose the butter layers and filling. Cut the roll crosswise into 6 pieces using a large sharp knife.

Take one of the cut pieces and press down in the middle of it with the handle of a wooden spoon, keeping the handle parallel to your work surface. This will make the spiral ends of the dough curl out and up. Stop pressing before the spoon goes all the way through the dough – you don’t want to cut the dough in half. Press down with your hands on the fanned-out sides of the roll to secure the shape. Transfer the shaped roll to the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining 5 pieces. Cover the shaped rolls with a dishcloth and let proof for 20 minutes.

Repeat with the remaining dough, filling, and second baking sheet. (NB, I baked all 12 rolls on the same baking sheet and they expanded like crazy in the oven, so 2 separate baking sheets is the way to go.)

Bake the first pan of proofed rolls in the preheated 400˚F (375˚F convection) oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden, puffed, and flaky, with caramelized bottoms. Transfer to a rack to cool, and repeat the baking process with the second pan of proofed rolls.

Franzbrötchen are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but we certainly weren’t complaining about eating them over the next several days. If you want to re-fresh day(s)-old Franzbrötchen, reheat in a 350˚F (325˚F convection) oven for 5 minutes. They can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Guys, I’m having a serious moment with Stella Parks, aka BraveTart. By which I mean, I want to bake all her stuff. Luckily, “her stuff” includes a killer recipe for hot cross buns, so I’m back this year (after a brief hiatus last year) with HCB take seven on the blog. In the past I’ve dabbled in various combinations of chocolate, sourdough, cider, porter, honey, and tea infused HCBs, and this year’s version comes with a hit of vanilla and the unexpected addition of Greek yogurt. One of the things I love best about Parks’ recipes is the way she explains the science behind certain ingredients. In this case, the Greek yogurt adds softness and moisture to the dough, and its acidity also helps with gluten development (and now I understand what “The Lemon Juice Secret” is from the back of the Rogers Flour bag!).

My favourite parts of these buns – besides their spicy, dried fruit and candied orange-laden interior – are their pillowy soft and shreddable yet substantial texture, their beautifully bronzed and glossy tops, and their sweet vanilla crosses. In fact, these particular buns are double crossed, with a cross slashed into their tops with a sharp knife before baking plus a vanilla frosting cross piped on after baking. Normally I favour applying a cross made from a paste of flour and water before baking, but the little bit of sweetness from the frosting just makes these buns more special, and the hint of vanilla plays up the vanilla-scented bun itself. Hot cross buns are always best the day they are baked, but I baked these the day before Good Friday and we’ll still be happily enjoying them tomorrow on Easter Sunday – that is, if they last that long!

Spiced Vanilla Hot Cross Buns

Adapted a tiny bit from Stella Parks on Serious Eats. Makes 15 buns. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, rub together with your fingers until fragrant:

70 g granulated sugar

seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

Whisk in:

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

1/2 tsp kosher salt

340 g all purpose flour

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 85 g unsalted butter and heat until it starts to bubble. remove from the heat and stir in:

85 g milk

170 g plain Greek yogurt

Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients in the stand mixer bowl and stir with a wooden spoon (or a nifty dough whisk) until a ragged dough forms.

With the dough hook, knead on low speed for about 7 minutes, then increase the speed to medium-low and continue kneading until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is very soft and elastic (about 10 more minutes) – you should be able to stretch the dough thin enough to see light through without tearing.

Add:

30 g finely chopped candied orange peel

55 g chopped dried apricots

55 g chopped dried cherries

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground allspice

Mix in on low speed until combined (or use your hands to knead it in, which I found much more effective). Remove the dough hook and gather the dough into a ball in the bottom of the bowl. Cover with plastic and let rise at room temperature until about doubled in size or until your fingerprint remains in the dough when pressed, about 1 1/2 hours.

Turn the risen dough out onto an unfloured surface and gently pat it into a circle. With a dough scraper or large knife, divide the circle into thirds, then cut each third into 5 roughly equal pieces, to make 15 portions total. It’s OK if they’re not exactly the same size – try not to cut and recut, as this will deflate the dough and cause the finished buns to be dense.

Gently pinch each portion into a ball in the palm of your hand, then roll it on the unfloured surface to tighten it into a ball. Place the shaped dough in a 9″x13″ pan lined with parchment paper.

Cover loosely with plastic and let rise at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours, until the buns are puffy and light and just touching each other. Your fingerprint should remain in the dough when pressed.

(Alternatively, if you want to let the buns do a slow rise overnight to bake in the morning, let them proof for 1 hour at room temperature, refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours, then continue with the recipe.)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F convection). Whisk together an egg wash of 1 egg yolk + 1 1/2 tsp milk and brush it gently over the risen buns.

With a very sharp knife, slash a shallow cross in the top of each bun.

Bake the buns for 30-35 minutes in the preheated 350˚F (325˚F convection) oven, until deeply golden brown on top and about 210˚F in the centre. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes.

With a rubber spatula, mix together the vanilla frosting:

57 g powdered sugar

pinch salt

1 tsp milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

Add a little more milk or sugar as needed to make a thick piping consistency.

Scrape the frosting into a piping bag, snip off the tip, and pipe it on the buns to make a cross on each one.

The buns can be served slightly warm or at room temperature, and are best the day they are baked but will keep a few days at room temperature in an airtight container.

The May Daring Kitchen challenge was brought to us by Tandy of Lavender and Lime, who provided us with a beautiful bread recipe and a fun twisting technique to shape it. I used to bake bread almost weekly, and this was a nice reminder of how much I like doing it. Homemade bread really is magical, especially when it looks this pretty.

I made this bread after a rather catastrophic fail at another recipe (watch for that post in the next few weeks), so I was really pleased with how easy it was and how well it turned out, despite my forgetting to add the sugar to the dough at the start of the recipe and having to knead it in at the end. The dough is wonderfully soft and smooth and easy to handle, and the shaping technique is pretty fun too: all the filling stays on the inside, except for a few spots where you get a hint of what’s inside this beautiful bronzed bread wreath. I riffed off of Tandy’s original recipe with sundried tomatoes and rosemary, replacing the tomatoes with olives and adding a sprinkle of grated parmesan. It could probably have used more parmesan (things can almost always use more cheese, in my opinion) but otherwise, this bread was great: soft and delicious inside, crusty outside, punctuated with salty olives and savoury rosemary. And it smelled INSANE baking in the oven. We ate it with soup, but it would also be great as the bread component of a big family meal, or served alongside an antipasto platter with meats, sliced cheeses, olives and marinated grilled veggies.

Olive, Rosemary & Parmesan Twist Bread

Adapted from the May 2016 Daring Kitchen Challenge (bread recipe adapted from Jamie Geller’s Joy of Kosher). Makes one large bread wreath.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together:

680 g all purpose flour

15 g instant yeast

50 g granulated sugar

In a liquid measuring cup, mix together:

375 ml room temperature water

1 egg yolk (save the egg white for the egg wash later in the recipe)

60 ml olive oil

Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour and with the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until the dough forms into a shaggy ball.

Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for about 20 minutes – this is called “autolyse” and it helps allows the liquid to fully hydrate the flour and activate the gluten.

After 20 minutes of rest, add 22 g kosher salt to the dough and knead on medium speed for 5-7 minutes, until the salt is fully incorporated and the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic and it cleans the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Gather up the dough into a ball and take it out of the bowl. Grease the bowl with a tiny bit of olive oil, then put the dough back in and turn it over a few times to coat it with the oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it somewhere warm to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size. Punch down the dough gently to deflate it, then cover again and let rise for another hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and shape it into a rectangle, about 10″ by 16″. Top the dough with:

50 g grated parmesan

150 g mixed olives, pitted and roughly chopped

5 g chopped fresh rosemary

Roll up the dough tightly from one long end and pinch the seam closed to seal it. With a large sharp knife, cut down the middle of the roll but not all the way through to the bottom, allowing the two halves to fall open slightly.

Grasp the dough from one end and begin twisting so that the filling stays inside and the dough resembles a rope.

Bring the two ends together, wrapping one inside the other, to form a circle, and transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 375˚F (350˚F convection) and make an egg wash of the reserved egg white whisked with 1 tsp water and a pinch of salt.

After 30 minutes, brush the dough with the egg wash.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated 375˚F (350˚F convection) oven, then reduce the heat to 350˚F (325˚F convection) and bake for another 45 minutes, until deeply bronzed on the outside.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack before slicing (if you can resist cutting into it while it’s still warm!).

Along with the perfect Christmas dessert and the best Christmas cookies, every year I’m on the look out for a delicious holiday breakfast or brunch pastry – and this year, I think I may have stumbled on it kind of by accident. I had half a batch of challah dough in my freezer, a container of cranberry sauce leftover from Thanksgiving, and I’d just seen a photo of the beautiful poppy seed tea “braid” from Luisa Weiss‘ Classic German Baking – and it all came together in a swirly braid filled with cranberry sauce, white chocolate chunks, and lemon zest, glazed with a lemony icing. It was a huge loaf, so I gave some to friends and planned to take the rest to work to share with my colleagues… but plans changed when Nate and I discovered how good it was, and we ate it all ourselves! (Sorry, colleagues!)

Despite the complicated-looking shape, this is loaf really easy to make. The base is the challah dough from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day, which you literally just mix and then leave alone, and it turns into a gorgeous sweet dough. Once you roll it up around the filling, the “braid” is formed by cutting the cylinder of dough into slices but leaving them attached at the bottom – sort of like a Hasselback potato – and then fanning them out to each side. It looks impressive but most importantly tastes amazing – the tart cranberries and zingy lemon keep it from being too rich, and the white chocolate gets wonderfully caramelized in the oven. Definitely worthy of a holiday breakfast table!

Cranberry White Chocolate Lemon Tea Braid

This recipe is quick to put together but it does require some planning ahead for the hands-off time. To serve it freshly baked in the morning, here’s the schedule I’d follow: make the dough the morning before and refrigerate it all day. In the evening, assemble and shape the braid, then let it rest overnight in the fridge and bake the next morning. Makes 1 large tea loaf.

Mix up half a batch of challah dough (or make a full batch and freeze half of it for later). After it has risen and chilled and is ready to use as per the recipe, lightly flour it and shape it into a ball.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a 16″ x 12″ rectangle, and spread it with 1/2 cup cranberry sauce, leaving a 1″ border along the long edges. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate and the grated zest of 1/2 a lemon.

From one long edge, roll up the dough into a cylinder, then pinch to seal.

Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With a serrated knife or kitchen shears, gently cut the cylinder into slices about 1 1/4 inch thick, but do not cut all the way through to the bottom – you want each slice to be connected along the bottom. This can get a little messy because the dough is soft and the filling is slippery, so be gentle and patient.

Gently twist each slice so that the cut side faces up and lay it to the side, alternating right and left.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for an hour, or overnight in the fridge.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F convection) and bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown and the middle of each rolled slice is set. Place on a rack to cool while you make the glaze.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

grated zest of 1/2 a lemon

The glaze should be like runny honey – add more confectioner’s sugar or lemon juice to adjust the consistency.

Brush the glaze over the barely warm or cooled loaf and let it set before serving. This loaf is best the day it is baked, but can be kept, wrapped, up to 2 days at room temperature.

Save

Save

Save

I’ve been feeling a little bereft after the disbanding of the Daring Kitchen last month – those challenges have been a constant in my life and on this blog for the past six (!!) years, and they always provided me with that nudge to get in the kitchen, make something, and post about it, no matter how busy or unmotivated I might otherwise be. So, I’m pleased to have found a new monthly challenge to take part in, hosted by Gabby, aka The Food Girl in Town. Myself and eight other bloggers will be cooking, baking, and eating our way “Around the World in 12 Plates” (or ATW12P), expanding our horizons and learning about other cultures through my favourite medium: food! Each month will feature the cuisine of a different country and our task is to do some research, choose a recipe (or several), and make something we haven’t made before. I am all about baking, so that’s how I’ll (most likely) be participating.

With Chinese New Year beginning on January 28, we fittingly begin our journey around the world this month in China. Chinese baking isn’t something I’m super familiar with beyond the delicious honey buns and barbequed pork-stuffed buns available in Chinatown, so I first did a Google search to figure out 1) what is out there, and 2) what is authentically Chinese. I discovered that Chinese baking favours buns of all kinds – steamed or baked, plain or stuffed with sweet or savoury fillings or wrapped around hotdogs, topped with crunchy sweetness or even rolled in pork jerky fluff. I’ve made a few Asian-style buns in the past – steamed and filled with barbequed pork, and baked and filled with coconut custard – but they were both pretty loose interpretations of anything authentic. So, after reading several delicious-sounding descriptions and finding out that it is #440 on the list of Hong Kong’s 480 living heritage items and therefore reliably authentic, I settled on the pineapple bun (you can read an interesting history of the bun in Hong Kong here).

Despite its name, the pineapple bun contains no actual pineapple: instead, it is a soft, sweet bun covered in a crunchy, cookie-like topping that bakes up golden brown and textured and is supposed to resemble the rind of a pineapple. And though it is pineapple-less, it is very, very good. Traditionally eaten for breakfast or with dim sum, these buns are either served plain or split and sandwiched around a slab of butter. No, not a smear of butter – a slab! I can attest that it is delicious (but really, how could it not be?!). Most Chinese buns and baked goods are meant to be consumed as soon as possible and preferably warm out of the oven, as they tend to lose their freshness quickly, however this recipe adds tang zhong, or water roux, to the traditional milk dough, giving it an improved shelf life as well as a light, fluffy texture. You can store any leftover buns on an airtight container, where the crunchy topping softens a little and becomes almost cakey and crumbly. Mmmmm.

Want to see more Chinese cuisine? Check out the other ATW12P blog posts:

• Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen
• The Tasty Gardener
• My Organic Diary
• All Things Nice!
• SugarLovesSpice
• The Food Girl in Town

And if you want to follow along on social media, check us out #ATW12P

Hong Kong Style Pineapple Buns

Adapted from Yi Reservation. Makes 10 buns.

Bun Dough

First, make the tang zhong (water roux). In a small saucepan, whisk together:

80 ml milk

20 g all purpose flour

Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk the mixture as it heats up and starts to thicken. As it reaches a boil, it will turn into a thick paste. Cook for a minute or two until it is thick enough to form “soft peaks”.

Scrape the tang zhong into a bowl, press a piece of plastic to the surface (this prevents a skin from forming), and chill in the fridge until cool. This can be done the day before if you prefer.

When the tang zhong is cool, continue with the rest of the dough recipe. In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together:

310 g bread flour

50 g granulated white sugar

5 g instant yeast

3 g fine sea salt

Make a well in the center of the flour and add:

the cooled tang zhong

100 ml warm milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix with the dough hook on medium speed to bring the dough together – it may seem crumbly at first but should come together in a soft, slightly sticky dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. I added about 2 tsp water to achieve this. Continue to knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Add 50 g soft unsalted butter. The dough will get really messy so scrape down the sides of the bowl and pull the dough off the dough hook several times during kneading to make sure it is mixed evenly.

Knead until the dough is again smooth and cohesive.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 to 90 minutes.

While the dough rises, prepare the pineapple topping.

Pineapple Topping

In a medium bowl, cream together until well combined and fluffy:

50 g soft unsalted butter

1 egg yolk

45 g granulated white sugar

Add 2 tsp milk and beat until combined.

In a bowl, whisk together:

110 g cake flour

10 g powdered milk

2 g salt

slightly heaped 1/2 tsp baking powder

Add the dry ingredients to the cream butter mixture and stir to combine – it should resemble cookie dough. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill while the dough rises.

Bun Assembly

Turn the risen dough out onto a flour surface and knead a few times to deflate. Shape into a ball and cut into 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Let rest for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, divide the pineapple topping into 10 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place one ball between two pieces of plastic wrap and using a small cutting board or bottom of a plate, press down and squish the ball into a 4″ circle.

Peel the pineapple topping off the plastic wrap and drape it over one of the shaped buns, pressing gently to adhere and tucking and folding the edges to fit around the bun. Repeat with the remaining pineapple dough and buns.

With the blunt edge of a dinner knife, score a crosshatch pattern over each bun, taking care not to cut all the way through the pineapple topping.

Cover the buns lightly with plastic wrap and set them somewhere warm to rise for 30-45 minutes, until almost double in size.

Preheat the oven to 380˚F (355˚F convection). Whisk together an egg wash of 1 egg yolk + 2 tsp water and brush it over the pineapple topping on the buns – this will make them extra yellow and shiny.

Bake for 8 minutes at 380˚F (355˚F convection), then reduce the heat to 350˚F (325˚F) and bake an additional 10 minutes, until golden on top and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack and serve while still warm if possible. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Every Easter for the past six years, I’ve posted a recipe for hot cross buns, so rather than post version number seven this year, I decided to branch out and explore another kind of Easter bread: the Italian Crescia al Formaggio, an egg-rich bread loaded with parmigiano reggiano and spiced with cracked black pepper.

I’ve been on a bit of a bread baking kick lately (by which I mean I’ve made bread twice this month, but that’s twice more than I have any other month in the past year) and I’m reminded of why I love it so much. Homemade bread rocks. Taking flour, yeast, and water (and in the case of Crescia al Formaggio, some butter, eggs, and about $10-worth of imported Italian parmesan cheese – it’s a special occasion bread for sure) and turning it from raw ingredients into a gorgeous loaf of delicious bread is like having a super power. And no, I’m not hyperbolizing (much).

Crescia al Formaggio in particular is pretty spectacular: instead of kneading the high hydration dough with a dough hook, you beat it with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until it is shiny and stretchy, giving it an amazing light and fluffy yet chewy and shreddable texture. Combined with the savoury, umami-rich parmesan, the end result is a loaf of bread that slices like a dream and makes the best toast imaginable. And though I’m still going to make a batch of hot cross buns this year (I have my eye on Aimee’s maple version), if you were to present this bread at your Easter breakfast table instead, I am quite sure that no one would be complaining.

Crescia al Formaggio

Adapted very slightly from King Arthur Flour. Makes one 9″ x 5″ loaf.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together:

298 g (2 1/2 cups) unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Make a well in the middle and add:

3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature and lightly beaten together (reserve the extra egg white for later)

57 g (1/4 cup) softened unsalted butter

57 ml (1/4 cup) lukewarm water

Mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment for 10 minutes – the dough will be quite loose and sticky at first, and then will become very elastic and shiny by the end. Scrape it off the paddle and down the sides of the bowl several times during mixing.

Add in 170 g (1 1/4 cup) grated parmigiano reggiano (or asiago or pecorino romano or a mix – but make sure you use good quality cheese as you will really taste it and that’s the point of this bread!).

Mix again until well combined – this will be a bit of a challenge, but keep scraping the dough off the paddle every so often and you’ll get there.

Shape the dough into a ball (it will still be quite soft and tacky but not overly sticky) and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let rest/rise at room temperature for an hour.

It likely won’t do much or change shape but that’s OK. Punch it down gently, turn it over, cover again, and let rest/rise for another hour.

This bread is traditionally baked in a round shape, but a braided loaf is so pretty. To do this, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface (or use a silicon rolling mat like I did), divide into 3 equal pieces, and shape each into a 12″ log.

The easiest way to end up with an even braid is to start the braid from the middle and work out to one end, then flip the whole thing over and start braiding again from the middle to the other end (here’s a handy video showing how it’s done. Squish the ends together and tuck them securely under the braid.

Lightly oil a 9″ x 5″ loaf tin and line it with parchment paper for extra insurance (I’ve learned the hard way not to trust an un-lined loaf pan…). Nestle the braided loaf in the pan and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rest/rise for another 2 hours or so at room temperature, OR you can refrigerate it overnight and give it a long, slow, cold rise. Either way, the loaf won’t double in size but it should look noticeably puffy.

Preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection). Beat the reserved egg white with a splash of water and a pinch of salt and brush it over the risen loaf.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425˚F (400˚F convection), then reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F (325˚F convection) and tent the loaf loosely with foil.

Bake another 30-35 minutes, until deeply golden brown (feel free to remove the foil in the last 5 minutes to achieve this if necessary) and the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 195˚F.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides and lift the loaf out of the pan. Cool completely on a rack before slicing. The loaf can be stored for several days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Save

Save

I’m a sucker for beautiful bread, and Israeli-Danish baker Uri Scheft makes some of the most beautiful bread I have ever seen. I found a Google Books preview of his recent book, Breaking Breads, and his challah – OH THE CHALLAH – is so lovely I could weep. It reminds me of some rare and mysterious sea creature. Seriously, go look at it right now. Page 41. I’ll wait.

[…whistles, twiddles thumbs…]

Anyway, when Israel was announced as the Around the World in 12 Plates destination for May, I knew immediately that I would be making Uri’s challah. So I did! I’ve made challah before and gotten fancy with the braiding, but this time I got extra fancy with both the braiding AND the garnishing, because challah is a special occasion bread, after all.

This recipe is pretty standard as far as challah recipes go – flour, water, yeast, salt, egg, oil, and a little sugar – but it ends up being very delicious and wonderful to play with and shape. The only thing I’d do differently is to proof the yeast first – I used active dry yeast and just added it straight to the flour, and it took forever to activate once it was mixed into the dough, which made for a very long rise time. Lots of flavour as a result, but I also think it didn’t rise as much as it could have. But I’m still pretty pleased with how these loaves turned out – not quite the underwater-looking beauties that Uri makes, but close enough!

Some other things I learned about challah: the intertwined arms of the braid symbolize love, unity, justice, and peace; a round challah symbolizes the circle of life and wholeness of the universe; the seeds on top symbolize plenty and fertility; and you’re not supposed to cut challah with a knife – instead you’re supposed to tear with your hands (but it’s harder to show the crumb that way, so, uh, oops…).

Check out the other ATW12P bloggers for more delicious Israeli cuisine!

• My Organic Diary – Homemade Hummus
• Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen – Israeli Feast
• Sugar Loves Spices – Semolina Cake Soaked in Orange Blossom Syrup
• The Food Girl in Town – Khachapuri: Georgian Egg and Cheese Bread

Uri Scheft’s Challah

Recipe from Breaking Breads, via Epicurious and Google Books. Makes 3 small loaves.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine:

400 g (1 2/3 c) room temperature water

15 g (1 tbsp + 1 3/4 tsp) active dry yeast

5 g (1 tsp) granulated sugar

Stir and let proof until the yeast starts to bubble, then add:

1 kilo (7 cups) all purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

95 g (1/2 c less 1 tsp) granulated white sugar

15 g (1 tbsp) fine salt

75 g (5 tbsp) sunflower or canola oil

Mix on low speed with the dough hook until combined, about 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate all the flour. Add a few drops of water if there is still lots of flour in the bottom of the bowl, or a little extra flour if the dough is very sticky.

Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead for about 4 minutes, until smooth. The dough should be a bit firm.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to stretch and tear the top half of the dough away from you, then fold it over on itself, give it a quarter turn, and repeat. Continue for about 1 minute, then shape the dough into a smooth ball.

Lightly dust a bowl with flour and place the dough inside. Sprinkle a little flour on top and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for about 40 minutes, until it has risen by about 70% (which might take longer, depending on how cool your house is).

Gently scrape the risen dough out of the bowl and shape it into a rectangle. With a dough scraper or large knife, divide into three equal pieces. Divide each of the three pieces into however many strands you want each loaf to have.

Place each small piece of dough lengthwise on your work surface, then flatten it with your palm into a rectangle. Fold the top third into the middle and press it firmly, then repeat the fold and pres three more times, essentially making a very compact cylinder of dough about 7 inches long. Repeat with all the remaining small pieces of dough.

Braid and decorate the dough as directed below, then place each shaped loaf on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes depending on room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection) with the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.

Test that the loaves are ready to bake by pressing on the loaf gently with your finger – if the depression fills in half way, they are ready to bake.

Whisk together an egg wash of 1 large egg, 1 tbsp water, and a pinch of salt. Brush it evenly over the proofed loaves in a thin coating and sprinkle them generously with the seeds of your choice. For a multi-seed challah, try 4-5 different kinds – I used sesame, poppy, pumpkin, and sunflower.

Bake in the top and bottom of the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then rotate the pans top and bottom and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 195˚F. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving.

Braided Round Loaf

Take 3 shaped cylinders of dough and roll them out with your palms on an unfloured work surface into 14 inch ropes, pressing lightly on the ends of the ropes so they are tapered.

Lightly dust the ropes with flour (this will keep them distinct once braided together) then braid them together, either pressing the ends together or leaving them loose.

Form the braid into a circle, either tucking the ends of the braid underneath or sort of weaving them together loosely.

Four Strand Braid

Take 4 shaped cylinders of dough and roll them out as above to about 9 inches long and tapered. Flour each strand, place them side by side, and use something to weigh down the ends together.

Take the right-most strand and move it over one strand to the left. Take the second-to-the-left strand, and move it all the way over to the right.

Now repeat those two moves in the other direction. Take the left-most strand and move it over one strand to the right. Take the second-to-the-right strand, and move it all the way over to the left.

Repeat until you get to the end of the dough, then press the ends together firmly.

Final Decorations

Before dividing the three large portions of dough into smaller strands, cut off about 50 g of dough and shape it into a cylinder as directed above.

To make a braid decoration, divide the cylinder into three pieces and roll each out into a thin rope about 12 inches long. Flour the strands, then braid, leaving the ends loose. Brush the braid with egg wash on both sides and roll it in poppy seeds.

Use some egg wash to stick the braid to the shaped loaf, then proof, egg wash, sprinkle, and bake the loaf as directed.

To make an epi decoration, roll out a single strand of dough into a rope about 12 inches long, brush it with egg wash, and roll it in poppy seeds. Stick it to a shaped loaf with egg wash, then use scissors held at a steep angle to cut little ears in the dough rope and turn each ear to one side, alternating left and right. Proof, egg wash, sprinkle, and bake the loaf as directed.

Save

Save

Save

With our Around the World in 12 Plates leader, Gabby, spending the month of July in Turkey on an archaeological dig (#lifegoals), it only made sense that this month’s destination was Turkey! Seeing her post delicious-looking photos of her meals on Facebook, I was intrigued by her mention of a bread called “simit” that is commonly eaten at breakfast (although it is also popular as a snack any time of day). Simit is sometimes called a “Turkish bagel” because of its round shape, hole in the middle, and sesame seed-covered exterior. Made with a very simple lean dough (just flour, water, yeast, and salt), the dough is rolled out into long ropes and twisted together before being shaped into rings, giving simit its characteristic coiled look. Before baking, each ring is dipped in a mixture of pekmez (a fruit-based, molasses-like syrup – I improvised with half regular molasses, half pomegranate molasses) and water, then coated in sesame seeds and baked until crisp. Once cooled, the crust softens slightly and yields to a deliciously stretchy, soft yet chewy inside.

A Turkish breakfast might consist of simit served with a feta-like cheese, sliced cucumbers, fresh tomatoes, and hard boiled eggs… however I enjoyed it immensely with a pat of butter, and leftovers are incredibly delicious sliced and lightly toasted like a bagel and spread with jam. They are pretty easy to make, and the effort is well worth it. My only warning is that the sesame seeds are messy, so make sure you have a napkin

Want more Turkish cuisine? Check out the offerings from the other ATW12P bloggers this month (and check out #ATW12P on Instagram, too!):

Sugar Loves Spice

Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen

The Food Girl in Town

Turkish Simit Bread

Adapted from Ozlem’s Turkish Table. Makes 6 rings.

In a small bowl of liquid measuring cup, dissolve a pinch granulated sugar in 50 ml warm water. Sprinkle 1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast over the water and let it sit for several minutes, until the yeast is foamy.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together:

300 g all purpose flour

scant 1 tsp sea salt

Add the foamy yeast to the flour mixture, along with 170 ml warm water.

Stir to combine, and add more flour or water as necessary to get a shaggy dough (the dough in the picture below was too sticky – I added more flour.)

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for several minutes, until soft and elastic but no longer super sticky.

Oil a medium bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour at room temperature, until doubled in size.

Gently punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide into 6 equal pieces (each weighing around 110 g) and shape them into balls.

In shallow bowl, combine:

75 ml pekmez or a combination of half molasses / half pomegranate molasses

50 ml water

Spread 140 g sesame seeds on a plate.

One at a time, roll each ball of dough into a rope about 22 inches long. Fold it in half and give it a several twists.

Form the twist into a ring, pressing and rolling the ends together firmly.

Dip the ring into the pekmez/molasses mixture on both sides and allow an excess to drain off…

…then dip both sides in the sesame seeds.

Place the simit on a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough, then let the rings rest for about 20 minutes, until slightly puffed.

While the simit rest, preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection). Bake the simit for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack before serving.

Simit are best eaten the day they are baked, but they can be revived very successfully in the toaster and can apparently be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. But I doubt you’ll have to take that step!

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Before we get caught up in the pumpkin spice madness that seems to take hold in the fall, let’s take a moment to appreciate the humble grape. Grapes are one of those fruits that I could usually take or leave, except for during the small window from the end of September to early October when Concord grapes are in season. So ten days ago when I saw some Coronation grapes – similar to Concords with with their dark blue-ish purple skin and tangy juice – at the grocery store, I snapped them up because 1) YUM and 2) I’ve been wanting to make schiacciata con l’uva, a Tuscan grape focaccia only made in September to coincide with the wine grape harvest, commonly made with Concord or similar grapes elsewhere in the world. And WOW – this stuff is amazing, the purple grape-iness mingled with rosemary, all sprinkled with coarse sugar and a little salt, not to mention the olive-oil infused focaccia bread base.

Yes, grapes on flatbread might seem a little weird. Nate thought so, but he also had no problem polishing off several pieces in one sitting. I, on the other hand, LOVED it, and if you like salty-sweet, crispy-soft, juicy-tangy-savoury things, then you probably will too. It would be particularly wonderful served with a cheese plate and some wine. And, as I currently have a fractured-and-useless left elbow, I can attest that it’s simple enough to make with only one hand, thanks to my trusty KitchenAid mixer who took care of the kneading and the fact that the recipe requires mostly resting and rising time and not much else.

A word about grapes: you want to use Concord or a similar grape here, not red or green table grapes. Look for something small and dusty purple that tastes like Welch’s purple grape juice or the grape jelly you get in little packets at breakfast joints. Big watery green or red grapes won’t cut it. Also, Concord grapes have seeds and many people suggest seeding them before using them in schiacciata con l’uva. The Coronation grapes I used are supposed to be seedless, but mine did have little seeds – however they were fairly innocuous and I kind of liked the textural crunch they added, so I left the seeds in. You can seed or not as you wish!

Focaccia with Grapes & Rosemary {Schiacciata con L’uva}

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen. Makes 2 flatbreads.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:

3/4 cup warm water (~105˚F to 110˚F)

2 tbsp warm milk

1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Leave for about 10 minutes for the yeast to proof (aka wake up and start bubbling). When the mixture is foamy, you can continue.

Add:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp fine salt

2 tbsp olive oil

Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until it comes together in a sticky dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and cleans the sides of the bowl. It will still be a bit sticky to the touch.

Smear the inside of a large bowl with olive oil and put the dough inside. Smear the top of the dough with more olive oil, then cover with plastic wrap and leave somewhere cool to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Dust the top of the risen dough lightly with four, then gently press down with your hand to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Gather each piece into a ball.

Brush a 13″x18″ sheet pan generously with olive oil and place the 2 dough balls on it, seams down. Brush the dough with more olive oil, then cover with a tea towel and rest for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, use your fingertips to press each dough ball into an oval, leaving about an inch between the two flatbreads and the edges of the baking sheet. Cover again with the tea towel and rest/rise in a cool place for another 1 1/4 hours.

When the dough has rested, preheat the oven to 450˚F (425˚F convection bake). Brush the dough with an additional 2 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with:

1 1/4 cups halved (and seeded, if that’s your thing) Concord or similar grapes

1 tsp fresh minced rosemary

2 tbsp coarse raw sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

Bake in the preheated 450˚F (425˚F convection bake) oven for 13-15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown around the edges.

Cool, then cut into wedges and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This doesn’t keep well, but you should have no problem finishing it off at once.

Save

To make up for the fact that I’ve been a slacker these last few months with Around the World in 12 Plates, I’m bringing not one but TWO recipes to this month’s party. Sweden was November’s destination, and similar to their Danish neighbours’ appreciation for hygge – enjoying simple pleasures and general coziness – the Swedes have a serious appreciation for fika, which you could sort of think of as coffee break hygge. But fika is not buying a to-go coffee and inhaling it in your car on the way to somewhere else – it is intentionally slowing down to drink a cup of coffee (or tea), eat some kind of delicious baked good, and enjoy yourself – either alone or with friends. It is so much a part of Swedish culture that workers have fika breaks built into their work days.

So with a culture of fika comes a culture of delicious things to eat during fika – something I can totally get behind. One well-known Swedish fika treat is the kanelbullar, a cinnamon bun made with cardamom-scented dough, cinnamon-sugar filling, and topped with pearl sugar. Unlike humongous, frosting-covered Western cinnamon buns, kanelbullar are small and not too sweet – but no less delicious with their buttery dough and spices. The recipe I’m sharing makes about 20 small buns, meaning they are perfect for sharing with friends and co-workers to enjoy on your coffee break together.

When researching Swedish fika treats, I also came across the chokladbiskvier, also known as the Sarah Bernhardt cookie in Denmark. I don’t know who had the recipe first – the Danes or the Swedes – but I do know that it is one delicious cookie: an almond macaroon bottom topped with a chocolate buttercream spread into a pointed cone and covered in a shell of dark chocolate. They are chewy, crispy, creamy, and crunchy all at once, and despite their slight finicky-ness (spreading the buttercream on each cookie and then dipping each one carefully in chocolate is a bit of an exercise in patience) they are totally worth it. The recipe below makes more chokladbiskvier than anyone really needs at once (they are pretty rich!) but extras can be kept in the freezer, and eating them frozen only makes them better.

Swedes fika at all times of the year, but snuggling up with a cup of coffee and one (or both) of these goodies seems like an especially good idea on a rainy day at the end of November!

For more Swedish cuisine this month, check out the other ATW12P bloggers:

Dish ‘n’ The Kitchen – Swedish Räksmörgås (Bling Sandwich)

Sugar Love Spices – Swedish Raggmunk (Potato Pancakes)

The Food Girl in Town – Prinsesstårta (Princess Cake)

Kanelbullar

Adapted from kokblog. Makes 20 buns.

I took a leaf from Food52 and instead of only using the ground up black cardamom seeds in this recipe, I toasted whole cardamom pods, then ground them up, green pods and all. This produces the most wonderfully pungent, citrusy, almost resinous cardamom flavour – much brighter and bolder than just using the ground up seeds.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine:

250 ml warm milk (about 110˚F)

8 g active dry yeast

Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast begins to foam.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

420 g all purpose flour

65 g brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp ground cardamon (toasted whole and ground fresh, pod and all, if possible)

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Add the flour mixture to the proofed yeast, along with 150 g unsalted softened butter, cut in cubes. Mix on low speed with the dough hook to form a shaggy dough, then increase speed to medium and continue kneading 5-10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic and cleans the sides of the bowl.

Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until about doubled in size, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream together the filling:

65 g unsalted softened butter

35 g granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch fine sea salt

On a floured surface, roll the risen dough out into a 20″ x 10″ rectangle. Spread it with the filling, leaving a 1/2″ border around the edges.

Starting at one long edge, roll up into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. With a serrated knife, cut into 20 pieces, each about 1″ thick.

Place each piece in a paper muffin liner on a baking sheet (or you can just arrange them about 1″ apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet). Cover lightly with plastic and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until puffy.

While they rise, preheat the oven to 425˚F (400˚F convection). Whisk together an egg wash of 1 egg + 1 tbsp water and brush it over top of each risen bun, then sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in the preheated 425˚F (400˚F convection) oven for 10-12 minutes until deep golden brown and just firm in the middles (they will continue to cook as they cool). Cool on a rack, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Chokladbiskvier

Adapted from I’m Ida on YouTube. Makes about 30 cookies.

I used homemade almond paste that was quite soft, so my resulting batter was on the loose side and my almond macaroon cookie bases came out a bit flat (but still delicious). I found that I could have used more filling per cookie and I ran out of filling before I ran out of cookies, so I’ve increased the filling amount by 50%.

Almond Macaroon Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F convection). In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:

250 g almond paste

150 g granulated sugar

Mix together until cohesive, then slowly mix in 2 egg whites and beat on medium high speed until smooth.

Scrape the batter into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe the batter into 2″ rounds, leaving about 1″ between them. Bake in the preheated 350˚F (325˚F convection) oven for about 13 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet, then peel the cookies off the parchment paper and turn them upside down.

Chocolate Buttercream Filling

In a medium saucepan, combine:

140 g granulated sugar

57 g water

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar syrup reaches 242˚F on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together:

3 egg yolks

seeds from 1/3 vanilla bean

When the sugar syrup reaches 242˚F, pour it in a thin stream down the side of the mixer bowl into the egg yolks, whisking constantly on medium speed. You want to avoid pouring the syrup directly onto the whisk or it will spatter all over the sides of the bowl rather than mixing into the egg yolks. Once the syrup is all added, increase the speed to medium high and continue whisking the egg yolk mixture until it is very pale, fluffy, and completely cool to the touch, about 15-20 minutes.

Once the egg yolk mixture is cool, reduce the speed to medium-low. Have ready 275 g unsalted softened butter cut into 1″ cubes, and add the butter to the egg yolks one cube at a time, allowing each to mix in before adding the next. Whisk on medium speed until the mixture emulsifies into a thick, creamy buttercream.

Sift in 23 g cocoa powder and 1 pinch fine sea salt and mix until completely combined.

Assembly

Divide the buttercream evenly over the flat bottom of each cooled almond macaroon cookie, and use a palette knife to spread it onto a smooth cone shape. Place the buttercream-topped cookies on a baking tray and refrigerate until hard, about 30 minutes.

Melt 250 g dark chocolate in the microwave (in 20 second bursts) or over a double boiler – you can temper it if you want to be fancy, but these cookies should be kept in the fridge or freezer so the tempering step doesn’t really matter.

Once the cookies are chilled, dip each one in the chocolate to completely cover the buttercream, letting the excess drip off before setting the cookie on its bottom on a baking tray.

Allow the cookies to set in the fridge before serving. The cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or longer in the freezer, and can be served at room temperature or chilled or frozen (my favourite!).

Imagine if a cinnamon bun and a croissant had a baby, only the baby was smarter, taller, better looking, and more popular than both its parents. This baby would be the Franzbrötchen, a cinnamon-sugar filled flaky pastry of German persuasion that is right up there among the best things I’ve ever baked.

This recipe comes from Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss (aka The Wednesday Chef) and like all the other recipes I’ve tried from this book so far, it is wonderful. It starts with a beautiful laminated Danish pastry dough – known as Plunderteig in German (isn’t German FUN?!) – and ends with a fun shaping technique that involves rolling the dough up with sugar and cinnamon, cutting it into little logs, and then using the handle of a wooden spoon to squish each log in the middle, making the spiral ends flare out.

In the oven, the layers of dough puff up and out, turning the Franzbrötchen into crazy crescent shapes. The edges are flaky and crisp, the middle is chewy, and did I mention the little puddles of caramelized cinnamon-sugar? Add a cup of coffee and you’re basically in heaven.

Make these. You will not be sorry, and anyone else lucky enough to try one will love you for it. Full disclosure, none of these made it out of my house – Nate and I ate them all over the course of a few days. We regret nothing. Not even a little.

Franzbrötchen

Adapted just a smidge from Classic German Baking. Makes 12 buns. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

4 2/3 cups (580 g) all purpose flour

1 tsp instant year

3 tbsp granulated sugar

3/4 tsp fine sea salt

Make a well in the middle.

In another bowl, whisk together:

3/4 c + 2 tbsp (200 ml) whole milk, lukewarm

2 eggs, room temperature

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring as you pour.

Add 4 tbsp + 2 tsp (65 g) unsalted room temperature butter, cut into small chunks, and stir until it forms a shaggy dough. Knead in the bowl with your hands to bring it together, then turn out onto an unfloured work surface.

Knead until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes). The dough will be slack and messy and very sticky at first, but resist adding any additional flour – kneading will do the trick.

Place the kneaded dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic, and let rise for 2 hours in a warm spot, until doubled in size (I put it in the oven with the oven light on and a bowl of hot water).

When the dough has risen, prepare the butter block. Place 1 cup + 2 tbsp (250 g) cold unsalted butter between two pieces of parchment paper, then bash it several times with a rolling pin. This will mechanically soften the butter and make it pliable without warming it up or melting it. Once the butter has flattened out and softened a bit, fold the parchment paper around it into an 8″ square packet. Turn the packet over so that the folded edges are underneath, then with the rolling pin, roll the butter out to the edges of the packet to make an 8″ butter square. Set it aside at room temperature, to keep it pliable.

Gently punch down the risen dough and scrape it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times, then roll it out into a 13″ square. Unwrap the butter square and place it diagonally on top of the dough. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter to completely encase it, and pinch the seams to secure.

Dust the dough with flour and roll out into an 8″x12″ rectangle. Brush off any excess flour, then execute a letter fold: mentally divide the dough into thirds, then fold the top third down and the bottom third up. Wrap lightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.

Repeat this rolling out to 8″x12″ / folding in thirds / chilling for 20 minutes twice more, for a total of three times.

Preheat the oven to 400˚F (375˚F convection). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

After the dough has chilled for the third time, cut it in half and return half to the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll the other half into a 13″ square.

In a small bowl, combine the filling:

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch fine sea salt

Sprinkle the dough evenly with half the cinnamon-sugar filling, right to the edges.

Roll up the dough into a tight cylinder and trim the ends to expose the butter layers and filling. Cut the roll crosswise into 6 pieces using a large sharp knife.

Take one of the cut pieces and press down in the middle of it with the handle of a wooden spoon, keeping the handle parallel to your work surface. This will make the spiral ends of the dough curl out and up. Stop pressing before the spoon goes all the way through the dough – you don’t want to cut the dough in half. Press down with your hands on the fanned-out sides of the roll to secure the shape. Transfer the shaped roll to the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining 5 pieces. Cover the shaped rolls with a dishcloth and let proof for 20 minutes.

Repeat with the remaining dough, filling, and second baking sheet. (NB, I baked all 12 rolls on the same baking sheet and they expanded like crazy in the oven, so 2 separate baking sheets is the way to go.)

Bake the first pan of proofed rolls in the preheated 400˚F (375˚F convection) oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden, puffed, and flaky, with caramelized bottoms. Transfer to a rack to cool, and repeat the baking process with the second pan of proofed rolls.

Franzbrötchen are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but we certainly weren’t complaining about eating them over the next several days. If you want to re-fresh day(s)-old Franzbrötchen, reheat in a 350˚F (325˚F convection) oven for 5 minutes. They can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Guys, I’m having a serious moment with Stella Parks, aka BraveTart. By which I mean, I want to bake all her stuff. Luckily, “her stuff” includes a killer recipe for hot cross buns, so I’m back this year (after a brief hiatus last year) with HCB take seven on the blog. In the past I’ve dabbled in various combinations of chocolate, sourdough, cider, porter, honey, and tea infused HCBs, and this year’s version comes with a hit of vanilla and the unexpected addition of Greek yogurt. One of the things I love best about Parks’ recipes is the way she explains the science behind certain ingredients. In this case, the Greek yogurt adds softness and moisture to the dough, and its acidity also helps with gluten development (and now I understand what “The Lemon Juice Secret” is from the back of the Rogers Flour bag!).

My favourite parts of these buns – besides their spicy, dried fruit and candied orange-laden interior – are their pillowy soft and shreddable yet substantial texture, their beautifully bronzed and glossy tops, and their sweet vanilla crosses. In fact, these particular buns are double crossed, with a cross slashed into their tops with a sharp knife before baking plus a vanilla frosting cross piped on after baking. Normally I favour applying a cross made from a paste of flour and water before baking, but the little bit of sweetness from the frosting just makes these buns more special, and the hint of vanilla plays up the vanilla-scented bun itself. Hot cross buns are always best the day they are baked, but I baked these the day before Good Friday and we’ll still be happily enjoying them tomorrow on Easter Sunday – that is, if they last that long!

Spiced Vanilla Hot Cross Buns

Adapted a tiny bit from Stella Parks on Serious Eats. Makes 15 buns. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, rub together with your fingers until fragrant:

70 g granulated sugar

seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

Whisk in:

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

1/2 tsp kosher salt

340 g all purpose flour

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 85 g unsalted butter and heat until it starts to bubble. remove from the heat and stir in:

85 g milk

170 g plain Greek yogurt

Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients in the stand mixer bowl and stir with a wooden spoon (or a nifty dough whisk) until a ragged dough forms.

With the dough hook, knead on low speed for about 7 minutes, then increase the speed to medium-low and continue kneading until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is very soft and elastic (about 10 more minutes) – you should be able to stretch the dough thin enough to see light through without tearing.

Add:

30 g finely chopped candied orange peel

55 g chopped dried apricots

55 g chopped dried cherries

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground allspice

Mix in on low speed until combined (or use your hands to knead it in, which I found much more effective). Remove the dough hook and gather the dough into a ball in the bottom of the bowl. Cover with plastic and let rise at room temperature until about doubled in size or until your fingerprint remains in the dough when pressed, about 1 1/2 hours.

Turn the risen dough out onto an unfloured surface and gently pat it into a circle. With a dough scraper or large knife, divide the circle into thirds, then cut each third into 5 roughly equal pieces, to make 15 portions total. It’s OK if they’re not exactly the same size – try not to cut and recut, as this will deflate the dough and cause the finished buns to be dense.

Gently pinch each portion into a ball in the palm of your hand, then roll it on the unfloured surface to tighten it into a ball. Place the shaped dough in a 9″x13″ pan lined with parchment paper.

Cover loosely with plastic and let rise at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours, until the buns are puffy and light and just touching each other. Your fingerprint should remain in the dough when pressed.

(Alternatively, if you want to let the buns do a slow rise overnight to bake in the morning, let them proof for 1 hour at room temperature, refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours, then continue with the recipe.)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F convection). Whisk together an egg wash of 1 egg yolk + 1 1/2 tsp milk and brush it gently over the risen buns.

With a very sharp knife, slash a shallow cross in the top of each bun.

Bake the buns for 30-35 minutes in the preheated 350˚F (325˚F convection) oven, until deeply golden brown on top and about 210˚F in the centre. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes.

With a rubber spatula, mix together the vanilla frosting:

57 g powdered sugar

pinch salt

1 tsp milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

Add a little more milk or sugar as needed to make a thick piping consistency.

Scrape the frosting into a piping bag, snip off the tip, and pipe it on the buns to make a cross on each one.

The buns can be served slightly warm or at room temperature, and are best the day they are baked but will keep a few days at room temperature in an airtight container.