Baked Goods

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Orange-Chocolate Almond Bites (gluten free)

sm Orange-Chocolate Almond Bites IMG_0563

These cookies are soft and delicate. The nuttiness of the almond flour blends elegantly with the chocolate and touches of orange and cinnamon—a lovely treat for those who don’t eat gluten (also great for Passover).

makes 20

Ingredients

  • 2 c. almond flour
  • 2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 2-1/2 Tbs. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 Tbs. orange zest
  • 3 Tbs. butter
  • 1/4 c. sour milk or buttermilk
  • 1/4 c. chocolate chips (mini chips are preferred)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  1. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and orange zest.
  2. Cut in butter
  3. Stir in chocolate chips
  4. Stir in the milk, until just combined
  5. Drop by teaspoon-fulls onto prepared baking sheet. They can be placed fairly close together since they don’t spread much.
  6. Bake for 12 minutes.

 

For other tasty bakes:

You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

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Orange-Chocolate Soda Bread

orange choc soda bread4

This one-bowl breakfast-bread is quick to assemble. Serve it on a fancy plate to add some “wow” to your breakfast table.

The rosemary-cheese soda bread was a hit, but I wanted something sweeter this morning. This adaptation of the savory recipe adds some sugar, a touch of cinnamon, a hint of orange, and plenty of chocolate chips. The result is similar to scones, but a little more “cakey” in texture.

Ingredients

  • 2 c. flour.
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2-1/2 Tbs. sugar
  • zest of one orange
  • 3 Tbs. butter
  • 3/4 c. sour milk or buttermilk*
  • 3/4 c. chocolate chips (mini-chips are best)

*To make sour milk: put a scant tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup, then add milk to get to the 3/4 cup mark.

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

  1. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, and orange zest.
  2. Cut in butter.
  3. Stir in milk.
  4. Mix until just incorporated–don’t over mix.
  5. Shape dough into a ball, using a little flour to prevent sticking.
  6. Place onto a prepared baking sheet (greased, or lined with parchment), then flatten until about 2″ thick.
  7. Slit the dough into eighths, cutting almost—but not quite—through the depth.
  8. Bake for 20–25 mins.

 

Find more of my recipes in the cookbook: You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

Dry Coffee promo

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Cheddar and Rosemary Soda Bread

cheese and rosemary soda bread photo2

This is delicious with soup for supper, or to accompany your eggs for breakfast. Serve it hot out of the oven.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 c. flour. We use all “white whole wheat,” or half white flour, half whole wheat flour. [for gluten-free, substitute in your favorite all-purpose, gluten-free flour]
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 3 Tbs. butter
  • 3 Tbs. grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tbs. fresh rosemary: chop 1 Tbs.; reserve 1 tbs. for topping
  • 3/4 c. sour milk or buttermilk  (To make sour milk: put a scant tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup, then add milk to get to the 3/4 cup mark.) [for gluten-free, decrease milk to 2/3 c.]

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

  1. Mix together flour, salt, and baking powder.
  2. Cut in butter.
  3. Mix in the cheese and 1 Tbs. chopped rosemary.
  4. Stir in milk.
  5. Mix until just incorporated–don’t over mix.
  6. Shape dough into a ball, using a little flour to prevent sticking.
  7. Place onto a prepared baking sheet (greased, or lined with parchment), then flatten until about 2″ thick.
  8. Dust top lightly with flour, then slit a deep cross into the dough, cutting almost (but not quite) through the depth. Decorate top with remaining rosemary.
  9. Bake for 20–25 mins.

cheese and rosemary soda bread photo1

 

Make it Gluten Free! Substitute in your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, and decrease the amount of milk to 2/3 cup. Here’s the result (below).

sm gluten free soda bread IMG_0554

 

For other tasty bakes: You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

Dry Coffee promo

 

 

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Whole Wheat, Oat, Millet, and Molasses Loaf

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This bread is light in texture with a little bit of crunch from the millet, and a subtle sweetness from the molasses. Delicious with soup, fabulous toasted, and great as a sandwich loaf.

Ingredients

  • yeast, 1 package or 2-1/4 tsp.
  • 2 c. warm water
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 c. quick oats
  • 2 Tbs. molasses
  • 3 Tbs. corn meal
  • 2 c. whole wheat flour
  • 2 c. white bread flour
  • 2-1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbs. millet

Directions

  1. Proof the yeast, along with the sugar, in the warm water.
  2. Stir in the oats, molasses, corn meal, salt, and flours.
  3. Knead for about 10 minutes or until very smooth, adding in the millet in the final minutes. Add more white flour as necessary, but the dough should remain slightly sticky.
  4. Place dough in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 1-1/2 or 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. Dust a baking pan with a little corn meal. Punch down the bread, form into a smooth ball and place onto the cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown and tests done.

For more tasty bakes, see my collection of family specialties, You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084WLZ1R7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

 

 

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Walker Cafe’s Chocolate Chip Whiskey and Rye Cookies

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I was inspired by a question from the owner of a local farm store, yesterday, “Can you make cookies using rye flour?” That sounded interesting to me, since I like a cookie that has more flavor, is much more than just sweet. The rye adds a hint of nuttiness, and the whiskey along with orange zest gives a depth of flavor that honestly turned this into the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve tasted.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/2 c. vegetable shortening
  • 2/3 c. brown sugar
  • 2/3 c. white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1 Tbs. rye whiskey
  • 1-1/4 c. rye flour
  • 1 c. unbleached white flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 12 oz. dark chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Cream butter, shortening, and sugars until very creamy
  2. Add in, one at a time, the egg, vanilla, orange zest, and whiskey, until smooth
  3. Mix together the flours,  baking soda, and salt, then stir into the batter.
  4. Stir in the chips.
  5. Drop by 1-1/2 Tbs. scoop unto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle very lightly with flaked salt (optional). Bake for 10 mins. Cool on a rack.

For more tasty bakes, see my collection of family specialties, You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084WLZ1R7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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Chocolate Babka

choc babka out of oven IMG_5310

I’ve made coffee cakes from Ida’s Yeast Dough for years, but have never rolled and filled them to make a chocolate babka. The fun part was coming up with a flavorful, deep chocolate filling, and then rolling, scoring, and twisting the cakes.

The dough

Make one batch of Ida’s Yeast Dough. Cool for several hours or overnight.

Make the filling

Combine all ingredients and microwave until just melted. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stopping to stir to avoid scorching.

  • 4 Tbs. butter
  • 3 Tbs. honey
  • 2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao)
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 Tbs. dark cocoa
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Prepare two loaf pans

Lightly grease each pan, then fit with parchment, leaving overlap on the long sides of the pan.

Make the cakes

Divide the dough in half. Roll each into a 20″ x 15″ rectangle, using plenty of flour to avoid sticking. Evenly spread half the filling over the dough. Starting on the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a long coil. Take a very sharp knife and cut through the coil down its length, into about half of the coil’s depth. Carefully lift one half of the coil and place over the other half, to make a twist—keeping the cut side up. Create one more twist, moving one end of the coil over the other—again keeping the cut side up. Tuck the remaining dough under the end and place the cake into one of the prepared pans. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40–45 minutes, or until nicely browned, and the bread has an internal temperature of 190–200 degrees.

sm rolling babka IMG_5305

(above) After the dough is rolled out, evenly spread on a thin layer of the chocolate filling. Roll it up, and slit it down the length before coiling and placing in the prepared pan (below).

choc babka rising sm IMG_5307

Ida’s Yeast Dough Coffee Cake and other delicious recipes are included in my new 86-page baking cookbook, You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

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Whole Wheat Carrot-Apple Muffins

For more tasty bakes, see my collection of family specialties:

You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084WLZ1R7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Carrot Apple muffins

Grab one of these on your way out the door!

When enjoying a breakfast muffin, our family likes to feel like we are eating more than white fluff with a streusel topping. These muffins have carrots, apples, nuts and raisins. Made with whole wheat pastry flour, they are still light, but with a complex flavor. Pair one of these beauties with a glass of milk or a piece of cheese and you’ve got a neat little breakfast for your sprint out the door.

Whole Wheat Carrot-Apple Muffins (makes 16)

In a large bowl, mix together:

  • 2 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or 1 c. white; 1 c. whole wheat)
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. baking soda

Fold in:

  • 3 large carrots (grated) — about 1-1/2 c.
  • 2 large apples (peeled and grated ) — about 1-1/2 c.
  • 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 c. raisins, dates or a mixture
  • 1/2 c. chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds

Stir in:

  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 c. canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

Spoon into greased or papered muffin tins. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes

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Cinnamon Rolls

For more tasty bakes, see my collection of family specialties:

You Can’t Have Dry Coffee: Papa’s Excuse to Have a Nosh And Nana’s Perfect Pastries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084WLZ1R7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

DSCN0822 cinnamon rolls sm

When it’s a holiday weekend, we like to make the dough the night before, and then have them ready to make and bake the next morning.

Cinnamon Rolls

Proof the yeast:

  • 2-1/4 tsp. yeast (1 package)
  • 3 Tbs. sugar
  • 1/2 c. warm water

Stir in:

  • 2 Tbs. butter, melted
  • 1/2 c. milk, lukewarm
  • 1 egg
  • 1-1/2 tsp. salt

Add and knead for 10 minutes:

  • 3 t0 3-1/2 c. flour

Cover and let rise for 1 hour or in the refrigerator over night.

Roll out the dough into a 12″ x  9″ rectangle.

Brush with:

  • 1-1/2 Tbs. melted butter

Mix together and sprinkle on top:

  • 1/3 c. brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 c. raisins
  • 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Starting with the long side, roll up the dough. Slice it into 12 pieces and place, cut side down, into an 11″ x 7″ pan. Let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

When it comes out of the oven, mix together and cover with:

  • 1-1/4 c. confectioners sugar
  • 2 Tbs. melted butter
  • 3-4 Tbs. milk