Baked Goods

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(No flour!) Peanut Butter Balls

When you have a taste for a chocolatey cookie and you want it fast—this is the recipe to try.

These have to be the easiest cookies to make, and with only 5 ingredients you can enjoy them warm from the oven in about 20 minutes. This also makes a terrific starter recipe for young cooks.

Peanut Butter Balls

Mix together the following ingredients, then form into 1″ balls, place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

  • 1 c. peanut butter
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 c. mini (or regular sized) chocolate  chips
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Having fun with challah dough: Knishes and Blueberry Buns

Potato knishes, blueberry buns and knishes with sesame seeds.

It takes a village to make knishes and buns.

The thing that I possibly love best about being Jewish is the food—the passing down of recipes, the sharing within our community, and the beauty of the culinary traditions. Some of them are so odd and involve an acquired taste: my grandmother slapping the board with whiskey to make her Passover candy, the cleaning of the fish bones to make gefilte fish and boiling up the broth we call yuch, and the tradition of cooking with chicken fat or schmaltz.

Blogging, apparently has broadened my community. I had never heard of blueberry buns until I received a comment last week from a woman named Irene Saiger, telling me of her family’s tradition of taking challah dough and filling it with sugared fresh blueberries. She invited me to try her recipe: click here for a link to that.

I couldn’t imagine why our family had never tried this, so I made them today. And since I was going to the effort of filling circles of rolled out challah I decided to make some potato knishes as well. A potato knish is another kind of challah bun, this one savory, stuffed with mashed potatoes. At their best they are made with chicken fat—schmaltz—both as part of the mashed potatoes as well as brushed onto the dough before baking. My mother always had chicken fat on hand. She would tear it off of the chicken every week and keep a bag full in the freezer, along with chicken livers, saving both until she had enough of each to make chopped liver. Years ago I started saving up chicken fat in the freezer. But I never used it for anything. Today I found the bag but it was, well, rancid. My kind neighbor, Bev, volunteered to stop by the store and pick up a fat chicken for me. And then I thought of Ben, five houses down, who loves to make his own chicken stock and matzo balls with schmaltz. “Ben,” I asked, “Do you, by any chance, have any chicken fat in your freezer?” “I have a jar in the refrigerator, still fresh. I’ll bring it right over,” he said.

What are the odds of finding a neighbor in the middle of east central Illinois with a jar of schmaltz in their fridge?

 

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Blueberry Pie

On the summer solstice, just at the end of the long day, I headed out to the blueberry farm with my friend and my son. I like to take Max along since he is able to pick at my pace, doubling our take. The blueberry farm was serene, and as dusk came the fireflies became visible, creating a magical image. For those in the area, the berries are just now becoming ripe at Pontious Farm.

In return for Max’s labors I promised him a blueberry pie, which I wound up baking at 10:00 pm, but that’s what summer’s for.

Blueberry Pie

For the filling:

  • 4 c. fresh blueberries
  • 1 c. sugar (scant)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 c. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 c. cold water
  • 3/4 c. hot water
  • juice of 1/2 lemon

Combine 1/2 c. blueberries, cornstarch mixture and hot water in a small pan. Cook over low heat, using the spoon to crush the berries against the side of the pan, and stirring constantly until the mixture gets thick and dark. Stir in the lemon juice and pour this mixture over the remaining blueberries.

For the crust:

  • 2-1/2 c. flour
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1-1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/2 c. Crisco
  • 7 Tbs. cold water

Cut butter and Crisco into dry ingredients. Toss in water and form into a ball. Divide into two. Roll out half for bottom, pour in filling. Roll out second ball of dough and place over filling. Prick with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, then remove pie and form a foil collar around edge of crust. Return to oven for 15-20 more minutes.

If you can stand it, let the pie cool before cutting, or it will be very runny. It will firm up after it’s cool.

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My misadventure with Father’s Day breakfast scones.

The third time was the charm for these sour cherry scones.

There’s no gift like a good breakfast, right? That’s what I thought as I prepared to whip up some sour cherry scones for my husband on Father’s Day. I dipped into my prized stash of frozen cherries, mixed up the scones, popped them in the oven, and then glanced back at the recipe. I had forgotten to add any sugar. As my daughter would say, “Fail.”

I washed and dried all of the utensils and set about on round two. The second batch was tasty and lovely and also FLAT. I served them, but I also puzzled over their flatness for half of the day.

That afternoon I decided to give it one more try, and I made the recipe with less liquid and baked them at a little higher temperature, achieving a taller, flakier scone. This one I’m happy to share:

Sour Cherry Scones (makes 12)

  • 2 c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3 Tbs. sugar
  • 6 Tbs. butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
  • 1 c. whole sour cherries, pitted (may substitute blueberries, dried cherries, cranberries or raspberries)
  • granulated sugar

Mix together the dry ingredients and cut in the butter. Mix together the egg and the yogurt, add the cherries and fold into the dry ingredients. The scones may be formed in several different ways: drop them by large spoonful; divide into two parts, pat each into a circle, and cut each into 6 wedges; or pat out on a floured board and cut into circles with a large biscuit cutter. Place the formed scones onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Lightly sprinkle each scone with a little granulated sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.

When cool, you may drizzle them with a sugar glaze:

Glaze

Mix together the following:

  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbs. milk
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Ida’s Yeast Cake

Ida’s yeast cake is rising on my attic floor. While the a.c. is running downstairs, the attic is hot and steamy and a terrific place to leave a yeast cake to rise. This is the dough our family uses to make hamentashen for Purim, and it also makes wonderful babkas and coffee cakes. Today I’m making two coffee cakes, filled with almonds, golden raisins, chocolate chips, cinnamon and honey.

The following is all I have for the recipe:

This is the recipe—just a list.

I’m really never sure in what order to mix them, but it always turns out just fine. Mix together the ingredients, then refrigerate for about an hour. This recipe will make enough dough for two good sized coffee cakes, or for one babka, which would be baked in a bundt pan. For the coffee cake, divide the dough into two, roll out very thin and fill with whatever sounds good. Then roll it up, coil it into a circle and tuck the end under. Let rise, covered, for 1 hour. Then bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until nicely browned. If you want the coffee cake to be covered with chocolate, then remove it from the oven and sprinkle on some chocolate chips. Put it back in the oven for 1 minute, then take it out and use a metal knife to spread the chocolate around. Sprinkle on some nuts or more chips if you like.

This coffee cake is filled with honey, cinnamon, golden raisins, chocolate chips and slivered almonds.

All coiled up and rising in the hot, steamy attic.

Ingredients

  • 1 c. milk, warmed
  • 1 Tbs. yeast
  • pinch of sugar
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • ½ c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 c. flour
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon rind

For the filling—use any/all/other:

  • chocolate chips
  • golden raisins
  • a drizzle of honey
  • a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • slivered almonds

Directions

  • In a small bowl, stir together the warm milk, the yeast and the pinch of sugar. Set aside to proof.
  • Cream together the butter and sugar.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mix together (it will be lumpy), then add the salt and lemon rind.
  • Stir in half the flour, then the milk/yeast mixture, then the rest of the flour. Mix well.
  • Refrigerate the dough for one hour or overnight.
  • On a liberally floured board, roll out dough to about 1/8˝ thickness.

    Cover dough with desired filling. From the long edge, roll up the dough into a tight coil.

  • Form the coffee cakes, each one on its own greased baking sheet.
    For a thicker coffee cake: form a simple spiral, tucking the end under.
    For a fluted-edge, fancy coffee cake (at right): form coil into a C-shape. Make slits in the dough, at about 2″ intervals, cutting about halfway through the coil. Lift each of the 2″ segments and turn 90°.

  • Cover the cakes with a towel. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Let cakes rise for 30 minutes. Bake for about 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen the cakes and when slightly cooled, transfer to a cooling rack.

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The Birthday Cake.

This cake has evolved through the generations: My grandmother came up with the cake idea; my mother added the coffee to the whipped cream; I added the chocolate cut-outs.

My mother made this cake five times every year. She made it for each of the four kids’ birthdays, and she made one for her to share with my dad on the midpoint between their birthdays which fall two weeks apart. So when I had my first child, Max, I was very excited to make this for him. I got the recipe from my mom, spent an entire day fussing over its creation, which includes one process for the cake, another for the filling and another for the topping, and in so doing gained a significantly greater appreciation for my mother’s efforts, as I had never heard her complain about this cake’s complexity. She never mentioned that it might have been any trouble at all. She would, just very naturally, produce the cake five times every year. By my calculation (and I’m sure my oldest brother will set me straight on this), if she made the cake every year from the time my sister turned one, and continued until I went away to college, taking into account that my sister has a summer birthday and probably was home for her cake, I calculate that mom made this cake between 60 and 70 times.

This all said, this is the epitome of an elegant cake. It is light (made with 7 eggs and no oil), filled with a semi sweet chocolaty, creamy fluff of a filling, and topped with a coffee-infused whipped cream. It is a symphony of flavors, absolutely worth the fuss—but please don’t tell my kids that it’s any trouble at all.

Gordon Family Birthday Cake

For the cake:

  • 7 eggs, separated
  • 1/3 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 1 c. sifted cake flour
  • 1 c. sugar
  • the zest of 1 lemon, grated
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • pinch salt
  1. Beat egg whites until stiff, adding cream of tartar after eggs are frothy.
  2. Fold in 1/2 c. sugar into egg whites.
  3. Beat the eggs yolks until light and thick, mix in 1/2 c. sugar, the lemon zest and vanilla.
  4. Fold in half of eggs whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the flour and salt, then fold in the rest of the eggs whites.
  5. Pour batter into an ungreased center-tubed pan.
  6. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees.
  7. Invert the pan to cool.

For the filling:

  • 4 eggs, separated (The eggs whites don’t get cooked, so if you worry about such things then purchase pasteurized eggs.)
  • 1-1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3 Tbs. water
  • 3 Tbs. sugar
  1. Melt chocolate in double boiler, then add the sugar, water and beaten egg yolks. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and smooth.
  2. Let cool.
  3. Beat egg whites until stiff, stir into chocolate mixture.

For the topping:

  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • about 2 Tbs. confectioners sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. instant coffee granules

Beat the whipping cream along with the coffee granules. When nearly thick, add the sugar, adding just enough to slightly sweeten the whipped cream without making it too sweet.

For the chocolate shapes:

  • 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate and spread a thin layer on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, or until the chocolate has solidified. Remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature, about 5-10 minutes. Use a favorite cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes. (Save the scraps to munch on later.)

To assemble:

Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the cake into four layers. Use 1/3 of the chocolate filling between the layers. Top with the coffee whipped cream. Arrange chocolate shapes on top of the whipped cream.

My first attempt at this cake, 14 years ago, was met with satisfactory reviews, and gave me a new appreciation for my mother.

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Mulberry pie

This is a fresh taste of summer that surprised me.

I had only known mulberries as the dare-you-to-eat-one mushy fruit that grew on scruffy shrubs, staining suburban sidewalks and children’s feet. When our generous neighbors stopped by to invite us to pick as many mulberries as we wanted, it took me a moment to realize that they were serious. They, in fact, had plans for baking a mulberry pie. When my husband told me the joy of his childhood adventures climbing mulberry trees, picking and eating berries until his fingers were purple and his stomach was full, I sent him out to the neighbor’s with a cute little plastic bucket along with our son Joe, to reclaim his youth.

Mostly Mulberry Pie

Prepare a 2-crust pie dough, roll out the bottom crust and fill with a mixture of:

  • 4 c. mulberries
  • 1 c. sliced strawberries (or skip the strawberries and use 5 c. mulberries)
  • 3/4-1 c. sugar
  • 2 Tbs. flour
  • zest from 1 lemon

Top with lattice crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35-45 minutes or until the crust is brown and the fruit is bubbly.

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Playing with my food.

Careful placement of the seeds really brings out the braid on this loaf.

I went to Mary Pat and Dave’s going away party last night. Our beloved, former neighbors, who are now friends for life, are moving to New Zealand. The party invitation said that, if we liked, we could bring bread or a dessert. Bread. I can do that.

I did something new with this challah, taking extra time to carefully place the seeds. I poured the seeds into a small, thin-edged metal measuring cup, and very carefully shook them into place on the glazed bread before baking, creating a lovingly prepared piece of edible art.

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Quiet house, gentle rain, baking muffins at 5am

These are moist and fruity with a mixture of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

I woke up at 4:30 with strawberries on my mind, consumed with thoughts of fresh muffins for breakfast. With a large pot of espresso-made iced coffee to sustain me, I gathered up the little bags of frozen berries left from last summer’s crops, and baked a double recipe of these 3-berry muffins. The house is peaceful, with a gentle rain falling, and everyone still asleep. When the family wakes up there will be a basket of fresh muffins on the table, and then, hopefully, I’ll sneak upstairs and take a nap.

3-Berry Muffins

Combine the wet ingredients:

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/4 c. milk, warmed
  • 1 c. melted butter

Add the wet ingredients to the combined dry ingredients:

  • 3 c. flour (I use part whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 1-1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 4 tsp. cinnamon

Stir in the berries:

  • 2 c. mix of blueberries, raspberries and chopped strawberries

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 2 dozen muffins.

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Berry picking season: not so sweet

Yesterday I went berry picking, one of my favorite summertime activities. I love the peacefulness of the field, the beauty of the ripening berries and the meditative quality of picking-picking-picking until the bucket is full. I spend a lovely hour or so, joined by good friends, and the payoff is the sweetest, freshest fruit, free of pesticides and ready for my jam pot. But yesterday, I tried a new farm, where the owner had strict rules which included a set appointment, a minimum poundage requirement, and a no-tasting while you pick policy. You pick them, you pay for them, you eat them—in that order. The bushes were loaded with lovely ripe strawberries and my two buckets were full, totaling nearly 10 pounds in under an hour. After I paid I finally allowed myself a taste and… the berries weren’t very sweet. Ten pounds of not so sweet strawberries. I can’t bear to make jam out of these sub-standard berries, but with a tart lemon glaze, they made a fantastic fresh fruit tart. The rest are frozen, waiting to be made into smoothies. And next week, I will go to my usual farm source where I hope life will be sweeter.

This recipe involves a great deal of patschkieing as my mother would say—a lot of fussing. But I will make it again. It is an elegant, light and fresh dessert and makes a great presentation.

Strawberry Tart

For the crust:

  • 2 c. flour (I use part whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 2/3 c. confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2/3 c. cold butter
  • 2 Tbs. cold milk

Mix together the dry ingredients, place in food processor and pulse in the butter until it is the consistency of coarse sand (or cut together as you would for a pie crust, using a pastry cutter). With the processor running, slowly pour in the milk until just blended. Turn out onto a board and knead just until the dough balls together. Press the dough into a 12″ fluted tart pan, prick all over the bottom and sides with a fork, and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow crust to cool.

For the cream layer:

  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/4 c. flour
  • 2 Tbs. cornstarch
  • pinch salt
  • 1 Tbs. butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 c. warm milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Very slowly add the egg yolk mixed together with the warm milk, stirring continuously. After the mixture thickens remove from heat,  transfer to a bowl and mix in the butter. After it has cooled, stir in the vanilla.

For the lemon glaze:

  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 Tbs. cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 c. orange juice
  • juice from 2 lemons

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, stir constantly over a medium heat, until it is thickened. Transfer into a bowl to cool. If desired, thin more with orange or lemon juice.

To assemble the tart:

Spread the cream  over the crust, top with carefully arranged sliced strawberries, then gently top with glaze. Refrigerate until serving.