Plum and Nectarine Crisp With Cinammon Shortbread Topping

Stone Fruit Crisp Recipe

When it comes to pies, I'm more of a crisp fan.  I think of crisp's as the lazy-person's pie.  So when I got a hold of some stone fruit I thought making a crisp would make a great excuse to photograph.

Photographing this nectarine and plum crisp was really fun.  I'm experimenting with more prop styling and I just happen to have come home from the thrift store with some new props when I decided to bake the crisp---great excuse indeed!

Better Bread In 3 Easy Steps

Now that the weather is cold I'm back to baking bread! There really is nothing better than the smell of bread on cold Sunday afternoon. I've been attempting to tweak my favorite bread recipe to increase the flavor and texture and I've come up with these three tips that I think dramatically improved the quality of my bread.

How To Bake Bread On Your Outdoor Grill

Something happens when Summer hits that makes me CRAZY about baking. As soon as the Los Angeles heat starts rising, I get this wild itch to bake. I don't know why. It's my life's enigma.

The thing that sucks is that we live in a tiny cottage-apartment in Silver Lake, and let me tell you, it's hot here. Our tiny apartment bakes in the Summer sun.....which means our apartment is even more hot with the oven turned on. What to do?

Bake on the grill, of course! I mean why not, right? I started this little experiment with the New York Times No-Knead Bread because the bread is baked in a cast iron dutch oven. This would be perfect to just pop on the grill I thought.

More on how this little experiment turned out in second part of post..

Total Success....Sorta

The bread that emerged, was indeed delicious. But a few things I learned along the way will make an even tastier bread the next time.

Below are the steps I took to bake bread on my outdoor grill:

Dutch Oven

I used my cast iron Kitchenaide dutch oven per the NY Times directions for the no-knead bread. The dutch oven retains heat and also allows steam from the water in the dough to help form the crust.



If your grill is big enough to accommodate the dutch oven with the lid on, then you're pretty much done. My grill is really small, so I had to take the grill off and place my pizza stone directly on the gas burners.

I was concerned about the bottom of the dutch oven getting too much heat and burning the bottom of the bread which turned out to be a legitimate concern because the bottom did indeed, burn. Not much, but I did have to cut that bit off. Again, if your grill is big enough to place the dutch oven directly on the grill and still be able to close the lid, you're set.

My solution for next time? I think I'm going to try placing an un-glazed terracata saucer on the inside of the dutch oven. That way there is one more layer separating the heat from the bread.

Oven Thermometer

It's important to have an oven thermometer to have accurate temperatures. My grill already has one built in, so this was easy for me.

Pre-Heat The Dutch Oven

This is CRUCIAL. Follow the NY Times instructions and pre-heat the dutch oven for 30-45 mins before adding the bread. The hot dutch oven is what helps to form the crust on the bread

That's about it. It really was simple. Again, the benefit of doing this is that you can have fresh baked bread without heating up your kitchen, which is a HUGE plus for me. Anyone have different methods of baking bread on the grill? I'd love to hear about it.

Best Blueberry Muffins

I'm making these tonight.  I'm totally intrigued by the blueberry compote that allegedly make these the very best blueberry muffins.  I love me some blueberry muffins, so I can be a tough customer.  I'll let you know how these turn out.

The Bitten Word: Best Blueberry Muffins

Related articles:

• Good Question: How Do I Make Just Three Muffins? (thekitchn.com)
• Oh BabyCakes! Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (abcnews.go.com)
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins (momblognetwork.com)
• The Blueberry Muffin Accident (crazyadventuresinparenting.com)

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

The Ultimate Cupcake!

Michael is a huge coconut fan. He just LOVES anything made with coconut. I decided to make him a special treat by making these delicious coconut cupcakes.

These cupcakes are all about the frosting. It's amazing. Almond extract is the secret ingredient!

Barefoot Contessa Coconut Cupcakes in second part of post...

Ingredients

* 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 cups sugar
* 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
* 3 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:
nocoupons

* 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
* 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
* 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Buns

These delicious breakfast treats come from Bake or Break.  I want to stop everything I'm doing and immediately bake these.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Buns - Bake or Break

Pecan Sticky Buns

print recipe

Pecan Sticky Buns

by Danny April 29, 2009

The Barefoot Contessa strikes again! Plain and simple, these are easy and scrumptious.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Unsalted ButterSugar 1/2 CupCinammon 1/2 Cup

Instructions

Mix sugar with cinammon

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 2 hour Yield: 12 Servings

Pretty Meringues Perfect For Spring!

Joy The Baker made this pretty meringues. They seem simple, sweet, and pretty. I want to make them.

Spring Meringues - Joy The Baker

Special Baking Pan For Edge Lovers

Do you prefer the crispy edges of brownies instead of the chewy centers? Then this baking pan is for you! The special design of this pan allows every serving to have at least TWO edges. I totally want one. Imagine the possibilities!

Bakers Edge - The Brownie Edge Pan

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Very Best Morning Pastry

This has to be the very best thing I've EVER baked. This sour cream coffee cake is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, which means that it's classic, simple, and totally delicious. I first made it for my recent Palm Springs Birthday Weekend , and it was totally devoured within the first day.

I guarantee that you will totally love this morning pastry!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake in second part of post...

Ingredients

* 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/4 cups sour cream
* 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:

* 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate.

Improve Your Baked Goods In One-Easy Step

All-Purpose Flour Is Your Friend

Have you ever made blueberry muffins only to find that all of the blueberries have fallen to the bottom?!

Ditto the nuts in banana bread, the chocolate chips in a chocolate loaf, etc. etc.?!

Before you add the nuts or chips try this little secret---Toss the nuts or chips an a bit of flour, making sure that they are completely coated. THEN add the nuts to the batter. Because the nuts are coated in flour, they will no longer fall to the bottom! Now, wasn't that easy?

Banana Cake With Pecans And Cream Cheese Frosting

By Danny

Delicious Banana Cake!

Here is a simple and delicious recipe for Banana Cake with a fantastic Cream Cheese frosting!

Recipe in second part of post...

Ingredients

1 stick of unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated and AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium-size bananas
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans. Cream butter ans sugar together for 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, until well combined. Add mashed bananas and mix thoroughly.

Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Stir until well combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Fold gently into batter. Pour batter into the prepared pans. Set on the middle rack of oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans ona a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold and cool on rack for 2 hours. When cooled place one layer on a serving plate and frost with cream cheese frosting. Arrange slices of banana over frosting, cover with second layer and frost top and sides of cake. Cover entire cake with chopped nuts. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cream together the cream cheese and butter and slowly sift in the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated. Stir in vanilla and lemon juice. Enjoy!

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Why The Temperature Of Your Eggs is Ruining Your Cakes!

By Danny

Baking Tip: Room Temperature Eggs Are Better For Cakes

If you're not already baking cakes with room temperature eggs, stop what you're doing---put the cold eggs down, and read.

Room temperature eggs whisk to higher volumes and ensure that the cake rises properly when baked. It really makes a difference!

Want to make a CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE but forgot to take the eggs out of the refrigerator? Not to worry. Simply fill a bowl with warm water and let the eggs sit for 15 minutes, and Voila! Room temperature eggs!

Do you have any other tricks to lower the temperature of the eggs? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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Best Coconut Macaroon Recipe

By Danny

Easy and Delicious Cookie

Michael loves coconut so I've been talking about making him some coconut macaroons for quite a while. I finally got around to making them and the thing that was so surprising was how easy and simple they are to make...

Ingredients

7 ounces shredded sweetened coconut
10 ounces shredded un-sweetened coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 extra large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or two teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Recipe modified from the Barefoot Contessa.

Classic Lemon Curd Recipe

By Danny

Lemon Desserts

When it comes to dessert, I definitely choose lemon before I do chocolate. Don't get me wrong I love chocolate desserts, especially CHOCOLATE CAKE, but I have a soft spot for lemon. I recently made these delicious LEMON CUSTARD CAKES, and it sparked an itch for more. Luckily, there is a huge lemon tree in my parent's backyard, and once I filled a huge bag, I came home and made lemon curd!

Lemon curd is great because you can spread it on toast or scones for breakfast, layer it between cakes, and fold it into whipped cream for a light mousse! Plus, this is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, so not only is it easy, it is superbly divine!

Classic Lemon Curd Recipe in the second part of the post...

Ingredients

• rind of 3 lemons
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter; room temperature
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Using a carrot peeler, remove zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar. Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 15 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd is done when it coats the back of a wooden spoon. If you run your finger on the back of the spoon and make a line, and if the line does not fill in, you're done! Cool and enjoy on a scone or refrigerate!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe - Silver Palate

By Danny

Classic Cookies - Silver Palate Chocolate Chip

Chocolate chip cookies don't need much of an introduction. They're delicious, and classic, and super easy to make. This recipe comes from one of my FAVORITE COOKBOOKS, The Silver Palate!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe in the second part of the post...

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease cookie sheet.(I use a silpat) Cream butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Sift dry ingredients together and stir in, mixing thoroughly. Add chocolate chips to batter and form cookies by using a SMALL scoop or spoon...these cookies spread out a lot, so you must make small balls of batter! Place 2 rows of three cookies on each sheet and sprinkle each cookie with a bit of kosher salt....sounds weird, but it makes all of the difference! Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or just until outside edges are brown. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes and transfer cookies to cooling racks. Devour!

Banana Espresso Muffins

By Danny

Perfect Breakfast Muffin

I love having muffins for breakfast! During the work week, I rarely have the desire (or time!) to have an elaborate breakfast. Muffins are perfect because they're not super filling, and let's be honest here, who doesn't like to start the day with cake! I'm a HUGE fan of CLASSIC BANANA BREAD, but I've been making it so much lately that I wanted to try something different with my browning bananas.

I've always liked coffee and bananas together, so I decided to try a banana espresso muffin! This recipe is great, and the ingredient that makes all the difference in this recipe is lemon zest---that's right, lemon zest. It adds an amazing brightness and weirdly brings out the flavor of the bananas!

Banana Espresso Muffin recipe after the jump...

Banana Espresso Muffin Recipe

Makes 6 muffins

1 very ripe banana, lightly mashed
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor mix banana and sour cream until smooth. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and process until blended. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed of a stand mixer for about 1 minute. Add the butter and half the banana mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining banana mixture in two parts, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition. Add pecans and beat on low speed just until incorporated. Remove half of the batter and place in separate bowl and add the espresso powder until incorporated.

Place muffin liners in tins and alternate spooning banana mixture and espresso mixture into each liner until full to the top. Take a knife and gently swirl each muffin liner to mix the espresso batter and banana batter. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Bread Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe

Classic Chocolate Cake

I love classic recipes! This is a fantastic recipe for a classic chocolate cake. It's one of Ina Garten's recipes, so you know it has to be good! What I like the most about this recipe is that Ina always adds coffee to her chocolate desserts because the coffee actually brings out the flavor of the chocolate!

Classic Chocolate Cake Recipe after the jump...

Barefoot Contessa Classic Chocolate Cake

Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee


Frosting

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1. MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.

4. MAKE THE FROSTING: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate at high power in 30-second intervals, stirring, until most of the chocolate is melted. Stir until completely melted, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

5. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the side of the bowl. At low speed, slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar, about 1 minute. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in 2 teaspoons of hot water. Slowly beat the coffee and the cooled chocolate into the butter mixture until just combined.

6. Set a cake layer on a plate with the flat side facing up. Evenly spread one-third of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Banana Upside Down Cake with Walnuts and Caramel

By Danny

Best Banana Cake Recipe

I found this recipe in an old Bon Apetit and decided to try it. I'm a big fan of BANANA BREAD, so any dessert that vaguely resembles it, I'll try! This is a fun cake because it's a bit of a twist on the classic Pineapple Upside Down cake! I mostly like it because it seems like such an old fashioned type of cake!


Banana Upside Down Cake recipe after the jump...

Banana Cake Recipe

Topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
3/4 cup walnut halves or pieces

Cake

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping: Spray 8-inch round cake pan with 2-inch high sides with nonstick spray. Bring butter, sugar, and corn syrup to boil in medium saucepan, stirring constantly until butter melts. Boil syrup 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Spread topping in prepared pan. Let topping cool completely.

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift four first ingredients in to medium bowl. Beat butter and both sugars with electric mixer for about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, them mashed bananas, sour cream, rum, and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 2 additions just until combined. Spoon batter into pan and level. Bake cake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Cut around cake. Place platter over pan, and flip over. Cool for an additional 15 minutes. Enjoy!

What's The Difference Between All-Purpose and Cake Flour?

Baking Basics: Flour

Now that fall is on it's way, I'm reminded of how much I enjoy baking. There is nothing better than baking bread on a cold and cloudy Sunday afternoon! For that reason, I'll be doing a series of posts that cover some simple baking basics. First up: Flour!

More on flour basics after the jump...

So what are the differences between different types of flours? A couple of things to keep in mind:

Protein Content

Generally speaking, flour is made up of hard and soft wheat. Hard wheat contains more protein and gluten which produces more structured and chewy breads and cookies. Softer wheat on the other hand has less protein and gluten which produces lighter, more tender structures.

All-purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is used like the name suggests---for many purposes. All-purpose flour is a combination of soft and hard flours which makes it ideal for a variety of baking and cooking needs.

Cake Flour

Cake flour is simply soft wheat flour which will produce soft, tender, and crumbly cakes.

Bleached Vs. Un-Bleached

Bleached flour has been treated with bleach to whiten the flour. Some bakers suggest that this weakens the protein content of the flour and that it also lowers the nutritional value.

Flour Tips!

- If your recipe calls for cake flour and you have only all-purpose flour on hand, you can substitute 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for 1 cup of cake flour

- If you need all-purpose flour and have only cake flour on hand, substitute 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour for 1 cup of all-purpose flour.

- Bread flour has a higher gluten-forming protein content, making the dough nice and elastic. This makes it ideal for bread-making.