Chocolate Orange Cardamom Pull-Apart

This yeasted pastry is very reminiscent of old-fashioned fantail biscuits.  It's a wonderfully soft yeast dough that is layered with a loose paste of butter, cocoa and Grand Marnier and sprinkled with cardamom sugar.  Instead of forming individual biscuits, the dough is cut and stacked and placed upright in a loaf pan.  The components are very simple and it's an appealing presentation that definitely does beg to be pulled apart.

As the loaf bakes, the layers expand beautifully, displaying a bit like the pages of a well-worn book.  I love the crusty sweet exterior of the loaf and the tender delicious interior.  It's not overly rich or sweet but just right.  If you like working with yeast, this definitely ranks as an easy alternative to cinnamon rolls.  And as we head into brunch season, it would be the perfect thing for your guests to tear into and enjoy along with a steaming hot cup of good coffee.



Bench notes:
- The water to proof the yeast should be warm, not hot, to the touch.  Technically, if you have a thermometer, the temperature of the liquids for yeast should be 110 - 115 degrees F.  This is just above body temperature.  If adding liquid to yeast that has been mixed with dry ingredients, the temperature has to be higher, about 120 - 130 degrees F.
- Salt is important in yeast dough because it slows the rising time and allows the full flavor of the dough to develop.  It also strengthens the gluten and builds the structure of the bread by keeping the carbon dioxide bubbles from expanding too quickly.  Sugar not only adds flavor, it's also a browning agent.
- As you line the loaf pan, the pieces may slouch and the sugar may shift a bit.  That's all OK.  Each loaf has its own character!
- There are other ways to prepare the layers.  You can also spread and sprinkle the filling as you stack the long layers but I think that makes it a bit harder to distribute the filling evenly.
- Remove the baked loaf from the pan after a few minutes to prevent the bread from getting soggy.
- No need to cut the portions; just dig in and pull apart the layers!



Chocolate Orange Cardamom Pull-Apart
Makes 1 loaf

For the dough
1/4 C warm water
1 package (2 1/4 t) active dry yeast
tiny pinch sugar

1/3 C warm milk
2 oz (4 T) butter
1/4 C sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 C - 3 C flour

Filling
2 oz (4 T) butter
1/4 C cocoa powder
2 t Grand Marnier

1/2 C sugar
3/4 t cardamom
1/4 t cinnamon

For the yeast dough, place warm water into a large wide bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it along with a tiny pinch of sugar.  Whisk to combine and set aside for 5 minutes.

Heat the milk and butter together just until the butter melts.  Take off the heat and add the sugar, salt and vanilla.  Add to the yeast mixture and whisk in the eggs.  Switch to a fork and stir in 2 3/4 cups of flour.  If necessary, keep adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is no longer sticky.

Place the dough on a work surface and knead until soft and elastic.  Grease a large wide bowl with oil and transfer the dough to the bowl.   Turn the dough over to coat all sides.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour until about doubled in size.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan and line with a piece of parchment large enough to form an overhang on both sides along the length of the pan.

For the filling, melt the butter over medium low heat.  Whisk in the cocoa.  Cook, whisking constantly, for just another minute to let the flavor and aroma of the cocoa bloom.  Take off the heat and add the Grand Marnier.  Set aside to cool.  In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, cardamom and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Gently deflate the dough.  Place on a work surface with a very light dusting of flour.  Roll the dough out to a 20" x 12" rectangle.  Using a pastry brush or a small offset spatula, spread the cocoa paste over the entire surface of the dough.  Sprinkle with all but about 2 teaspoons of the sugar and spice mixture.

Cut the dough lengthwise into five 12" x 4" strips.  Gently lift and stack them on top of each other.  Don't worry about making the stacks look too neat; they needn't be perfect.  Cut the stack into four equal pieces.

Line the prepared loaf pan with the stacked pieces, placing them upright in a row.  Adjust them so they are evenly placed across the length of the pan.  It will seem like there aren't enough but the dough will rise and expand during the second rise and the baking process. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the remaining sugar and set the loaf aside in a warm place to rise for another 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 25 minutes.  Set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Lift the yeast bread out of the pan using the paper overhang to assist.  Remove the parchment and cool completely.

Chocolate Stout Cake

I really enjoy Suzanne Goin's approach to food.  Her dishes are simple, rustic and satisfying.  She runs four acclaimed restaurants in Los Angeles.  At Tavern, there's an in-house bakery called Larder with lots of gorgeous stuff.  Her cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques, won an award from the James Beard Foundation and the pastry recipes I've tried have all been delicious.  And since we're heading into Guinness and chocolate territory over the next several days, I thought I'd try her Chocolate Stout Cake.

The interesting thing about this cake is that the chocolate really takes a back seat to the bold flavor of molasses and the addition of lots of spice.  There are equal parts of ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, so there's no mistaking the fact that this cake has a gingerbread feel.  The Guinness bridges all these strong elements and rounds out the flavor beautifully.  The cake is made with oil so it's quick to mix and super moist.  I like it simply served with a dollop of whipped cream.  It would also be terrific with vanilla or caramel ice cream, of course!



Bench notes:
- I haven't tried this with any other brand of beer so I recommend you go with Guinness.
- I halved the recipe to bake in an 8" cake pan.  If you'd like to double the recipe and bake in a bundt pan as Suzanne does, use 3 whole eggs.
- Note that the baking soda is added to the molasses and beer rather than sifted with the dry ingredients.
- Use natural cocoa powder rather than dutched.
- The recipe doesn't include salt but I added a 1/4 teaspoon to the dry ingredients
- Store cake in an airtight container.



Chocolate Stout Cake
adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin
Serves 8

1 C flour
1/4 C + 2 T cocoa powder
3/4 t baking powder
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
[I added 1/4 t salt]
1/2 C Guinness stout
1/2 C molasses
3/4 t baking soda
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 C dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/2 C canola oil

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8" x 2" round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg [and salt, if using].

Place the beer and molasses in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda.  The mixture will rise and foam.

In another bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk and both sugars until thoroughly combined.  Whisk in the oil and then add the beer mixture.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the well.  Whisk slowly just until the ingredients are incorporated.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out mostly clean when inserted in the middle, about 28 - 30 minutes.  Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Invert the cake and remove the parchment.  Invert the cake again and cool completely.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Orange Spice Sherbet

Each year as the seasons go by, I'm always taken aback at how swiftly and effortlessly fresh fruit and vegetables flow into the market.  There's something uniquely joyful and renewing about seeing the arrival of different items in our produce department even though the calendar tells us to expect them.  As spring is fast approaching, I'm once again really excited to greet the grand parade of color and supreme enjoyment of berries, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and figs.  Ah, primavera.

However, there are some gorgeous oranges available right now, so it only makes sense to take another moment to focus on the luscious fresh quality of citrus.  And since I love sherbet, I decided to keep it simple and make this orange version.  I was hoping to feature blood oranges but they seem to have eluded me this week.  If you can find them at your local market, do pick some up and enjoy them while they last.  They are such a very special treat.  Their super refreshing acidity and bright red color are stunning.

Here I use ordinary navel oranges, which are always a welcome addition to any pastry kitchen.  I've added a pinch of spice to the sherbet to keep things slightly more interesting.  I like this subtle blend of cardamom, cinnamon and allspice but if you don't care for those, add a pinch of clove or steep some star anise.  Or leave the spice out altogether and you still have a nice simple sherbet.  Perfect to enjoy with your favorite cookie or a bite of chocolate.

Bench notes:
- Lemon juice bolsters the brightness of the orange juice.
- Salt is very important for enhancing the flavor of both dairy and citrus, so add a pinch to the simmering cream and milk and then taste again and adjust for salt once you've added the orange and lemon juices.
- Add a splash of Grand Marnier for a stronger pop of orange.
- Let the sherbet sit for a few minutes to soften a bit before scooping and serving.

Orange Spice Sherbet
Makes abut 1 1/2 pints

1 C heavy cream
1/2 C milk
1/2 C sugar
zest of 2 oranges
1/4 t ground cardamom
pinch cinnamon
pinch allspice
pinch salt, to taste
1 1/2 C fresh orange juice
2 T fresh lemon juice

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, orange zest, spices and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium low heat.  Simmer until the sugar is dissolved.  Take off the heat, add the orange juice and lemon juice and whisk until thoroughly combined.  Taste and adjust for salt.  Cool completely.

Pour into an airtight container and place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Churn the sherbet according to your machine's instructions.  Pour into an airtight container and pack it down firmly to eliminate any air pockets.  Press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface, cover and place in the freezer to firm up.

Peanut Butter & Jam Cookies

Peanuts ground to a pasty substance were likely a product of Aztec Native American culture hundreds of years ago.  Although not particularly favored in Europe, peanut butter as we know it today is considered a household staple in the United States.  Like all American kids, I grew up on peanut butter sandwiches.  And, like everybody else, I never seemed to tire of them.  The pairing of nutty, salty peanut butter and sweet fruity jam probably gave rise to my affinity for sweet-salty combinations.  But it's been ages since I've had a peanut butter sandwich so I thought I'd remedy that with this cookie.

This is a shortbread type of peanut butter cookie so it's crisp and crumbly and not terribly sweet.  I love a good intense peanut butter cookie - you know, the kind we all got hooked on as kids - but this one has a subtler flavor.  To bolster the subtlety, the jam and casual slight dip of chocolate bring the bling.

The dough for this simple butter cookie comes together in a food processor, a most favored tool in my kitchen.  Once the dough has had a thorough chilling, the cookies are cut out and baked, then on to the dipping and filling.  Use your very favorite jam.  I'm partial to raspberry.



Bench notes:
- Chill the cookie dough thoroughly so cookies hold their shape when baked.
- Gently gather and re-roll scraps for additional cookies.
- If you're not a fan of jam, fill the cookies with chocolate or enjoy them plain.  Or serve them with your favorite ice cream.
- The cookies will soften when filled, so eat them soon after.  Unfilled and undipped cookies can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
- If you love peanut cookies, you must try this incredible Peanut Cookie Brittle.



Peanut Butter & Jam Cookies
Makes 24 cookies; 12 sandwich cookies

1 1/4 C flour
1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 t salt
4 oz (8 T) cold butter
1/4 C peanut butter
1 egg yolk
1 t vanilla

2 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 oz (2 T) butter

your favorite jam

Place the flour, powdered sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process to combine.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2" pieces and add to the flour mixture along with the peanut butter.  Process until it looks like course meal.  Add the egg yolk and vanilla and process until the dough begins to clump around the center of the machine.

Gather the dough and place on a piece of plastic wrap.  Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and roll out to about a 10 1/2" square.  Slide onto a sheet pan and refrigerate until completely chilled.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

Remove the sheet of cookie dough from the refrigerator and lift off the plastic wrap from both sides.  Using a 2" square cookie cutter or other similar sized shape, cut out cookies and place on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake the cookies until the edges just start to take on some color, about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.  Cool the pans on a wire rack.

Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and place in a small heatproof bowl.  Add the butter and melt together over a water bath, whisking to thoroughly combine.  Dip a portion of 12 of the cookies in the chocolate, scraping against the side of the bowl to eliminate any extra.  Set on a wire rack to dry.  Spread the other half of the cookies with your favorite jam and sandwich the cookies together.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

The origins of Sticky Toffee Pudding are distinctly British.  Some say it's an old recipe from the South of England, although inhabitants of Eastern Scotland also lay claim to its invention.  Whatever the case, it appears to have been developed in a hotel kitchen, which may account for the fact that it continues to appear on restaurant menus with some regularity, likely based in part on its ease of preparation.  Also note that this is not a pudding in American terms.  In Britain, "puddings" are steamed cakes.  In America, Sticky Toffee Pudding is a baked cake served with toffee sauce, which is where the sticky part comes in.  Are you with me?

I have to confess, I've never been inclined to try this dessert.  I've always veered away from most recipes for it because they seemed too sweet for my taste.  But when I saw Rose Levy Beranbaum's version, I was very tempted to give it a go.  First of all, she soaks the dates in Guinness beer, which I think provides a great foil for the sweetness.  Secondly, her use of sugar is relatively restrained.  And despite Beranbaum's reputation for copious detail, this recipe is not at all complicated or fussy. (By the way, Rose dined in a restaurant where I once worked and the pastry department went into high prep mode to present her with some exquisite tastings.  She is very funny and gracious.)

This cake is fairly light with a very nice soft crumb.  The toffee sauce is really terrific - rich and dark without overwhelming everything.  I think the lemon juice saves it from being too cloying.  The sauce really makes the whole dessert so don't even consider leaving it out!  And I've added a dollop of whipped cream here but vanilla ice cream would of course be superb.

Bench notes:
- I highly recommend using Medjool dates because they are gorgeously plump and have a sort of natural toffee flavor all their own.
- When you add the baking soda to the hot beer, the mixture will foam up.
- Don't be alarmed when you see that there isn't much cake batter.  It rises generously.
- I made 1/2 the cake recipe in an 8" x 8" dish.  If you double the recipe for the cake, you'll need a 9" x 13" pan.  Use a total of 3 eggs.
- In the original recipe, Beranbaum sets the temperature at 350 degrees but cautions if you use a Pyrex dish or dark pan, then it should be lowered to 300 degrees.  However, I baked mine in a Pyrex dish at 325 degrees and that worked fine.
- I made 1/4 of the toffee sauce recipe, which I thought was plenty for 1/2 of the cake recipe.  If you increase the toffee sauce, you'll likely have some left over, which would be crazy terrific spooned over ice cream.
- I cooked the toffee sauce for 2 minutes on low heat to make sure the sugar was dissolved and to develop a bit of color.
- If you notice a white powdery film on the surface of your dates, this is due to their natural sugar and is not cause for alarm.  It's just sugar crystal formation.  Once the dates are warm, the crystals dissolve.



Sticky Toffee Pudding
adapted from Rose's Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Note: The recipe below is for half the original cake recipe and one-fourth of the toffee sauce. You can find the full version of this recipe here.
Serves 6

3 oz dates [I used 7 medium-sized Medjool dates]
1/2 C stout beer, preferably Guinness extra stout
1/2 t baking soda

1 C flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1 1/2 oz (3 T) butter @ room temperature
1/2 C + 1 T sugar
3/4 t vanilla extract
1 egg @ room temperature
1 egg yolk @ room temperature

Toffee Sauce
2 oz (4 T) butter
1/4 C dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 vanilla bean [I used a scant 1/2 t vanilla extract]
2 T heavy cream
1 1/2 t lemon juice
pinch of salt, to taste

1 C heavy cream
2 t sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease an 8" x 8" Pyrex baking dish and line the bottom with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.

Cut open the dates and remove the pit and stem.  Coarsely chop and place in a bowl.

Bring the Guinness to a boil.  Remove from heat and whisk in the baking soda.  Pour this over the dates and set aside to cool.  Then place the dates in a food processor with a little of the beer mixture.  Process until a paste is formed, gradually adding the remaining beer mixture through the feed tube.  Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Whisk the egg and egg yolk and gradually add in three additions, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.  Add a third of the flour mixture, alternating with half the date mixture and beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix just until the batter is uniform in color without any streaks.  Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread out the evenly.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack.  Then gently lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment overhang to assist.  Remove the parchment.

While the cake is baking, prepare the toffee sauce.  Place the brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan.  If you're using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the pan and add the pod.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the heavy cream, lemon juice and salt, to taste.  (If using vanilla extract, add it at this point.  If using a vanilla bean, remove the pod.)

For the whipped cream, whisk the cream, sugar and vanilla just until it holds a very soft peak.  Place a slice of cake on a plate and spoon the toffee sauce over the top.  Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.

Poppy Seed Sandwich Cookies

It's time to have some fun with sandwich cookies.  I love making cookies of all kinds - crispy, crunchy, soft, chewy, sandy, nutty, spicy; piped, cut, rolled or dropped.  What makes pastry so much fun is the delicious variety of all these shapes, sizes, tastes and textures.  Sandwich cookies are a bit more fancy just by virtue of their filling but they aren't really a whole lot more work, especially when you keep the ingredients simple.

Poppy seeds are an ancient ingredient widely used in Eastern European pastries.  I've used them here to make poppy seed cookies with a hint of lemon.  The filling is a nice gooey cream cheese frosting that also has a spritz of lemon to keep it bright and not overly sweet.  If you prefer a simple shortbread, these cookies are also perfectly good plain.  And since they're made in a food processor, they take very little effort.

Bench notes:
- For an inexpensive alternative, I buy poppy seeds at World Market.
- Gently gather and re-roll scraps for additional cookies.
- These would also taste great filled with some raspberry or blueberry jam.
- Cookies soften a bit when filled so if you'd like to keep them crisp, fill them just before you're ready to serve.  Cookies will keep in an airtight container; the filling will keep in the refrigerator.
- If you love poppy seeds, try this tender Poppy Seed Cake with Mascarpone Cream.



Poppy Seed Sandwich Cookies
Makes about 32 cookies or 16 sandwich cookies

2 C flour
1/2 C confectioner's sugar
1/4 C poppy seeds
1/4 t salt
zest of 1 lemon
8 oz (16 T) cold butter
1 egg
1 t vanilla

Filling
4 oz cream cheese @ room temperature
1 1/2 oz (3 T) butter @ room temperature
1/2 C confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 t lemon juice
1/4 t vanilla

Place the flour, confectioner's sugar, poppy seeds, salt and lemon zest into the bowl of a food processor and process to combine.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2" cubes and add to the flour mixture.  Process 10 - 15 seconds.  Combine the egg and vanilla and pour over the mixture.  Process about 15 seconds until the dough starts to clump around the center of the machine.

Gather the dough and divide in half.  Place half of the dough on a piece of plastic wrap.  Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and roll out to a circle 9 1/4" in diameter.  Slide onto a sheet pan and refrigerate until completely chilled.  Repeat with the other half of the cookie dough.

When the cookie dough has been thoroughly chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

Remove one sheet of cookie dough from the refrigerator and lift off the plastic wrap on both sides.  Using a 2" round or square cookie cutter or other similar sized shape, cut out cookies and place on prepared cookie sheet.  Refrigerate.  Repeat with second sheet of cookie dough.

When oven is ready, bake the cookies until the edges just start to take on some color, about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.  Cool on a wire rack.

For the filling, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth.  Spread onto half of the cookies and top with remaining cookies.