Baked Brie with Berries

Brie is a soft bloomy rind cow's milk cheese named after the Brie region in France.  It’s a beautiful pale color covered in an edible white moldy rind.  Baking soft brie cheese in pastry is an old party hors d’oeuvres standby.  Sometimes chutney is added for a nice counterpoint of bright flavor.  It’s a rich and gooey bite to serve for cheese lovers.

My version is a quick appetizer or dessert course that involves flaky pastry, a small circle or wedge of luscious brie cheese and fresh raspberries and blackberries.  The berries really temper the richness and add a nice level of acidity.  It doesn’t take much effort at all and presents beautifully while still warm. 

Bon appétit!

Bench notes:

- The dough comes together very quickly in a food processor.  It will not look like a dough but rather like a slightly moist cottage cheese that comes together when you wrap it in plastic to chill (see this illustration). The important thing is to keep visible pieces of butter in tact and avoid blending it all into the flour.  

- Dough and berries can be prepared a day or two ahead.

- Once you’ve trimmed the edges of the dough, gather the scraps.  Roll them out and cut out a topknot.  Affix with egg wash.

- If your brie is in the form of a long wedge, just cut it into two pieces across the width and place them together side by side to approximate a square.

Baked Brie with Berries

Serves 8 – 10

1 cup (5 oz) flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 oz (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup (2 oz) cold water

1/2 lb brie cheese

6 oz raspberries

6 oz blackberries

2 tablespoons (26 grams) sugar

2 tablespoons (1 oz) water

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1 egg + 1 tablespoon water + few grains of salt = egg wash

To prepare the pastry dough, place the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor and blend.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2" pieces and add to the flour mixture.  Pulse until the butter is the size of small peas.  Add the cold water and pulse just until the dough starts to clump.  The dough will look a bit like small curd cottage cheese.  Gather the dough and place on a sheet of plastic wrap.  Form a disc and wrap tightly.  Chill thoroughly.

Place the berries, sugar and water in a saucepan.  Simmer over low heat just until softened, about 2 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching.   Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Prepare the egg wash.

Place the dough on a very lightly floured silpat or a piece of parchment and let it warm up just enough to prevent cracking when you use your rolling pin.  Roll into an approximate 10 1/2" square.  Trim the edges to form a clean square and set aside the scraps. 

Move the dough to the baking sheet, then place the wheel of brie in the center. Top with the berries.  Fold the corners of dough up and around the cheese, sealing the edges with egg wash along the sides and at the top.  

Roll out the scraps and cut out a topknot.  Use the egg wash to place and secure it at the center intersection of the dough.  Brush the whole pastry with egg wash.

Bake until pastry is golden and cheese has melted, about 25 – 28 minutes.

Banana Maple Pecan Muffins

I seem to be focused on brunch lately and this is another very easy and delicious entry.  If you love Banana Bread, these muffins are a super good mini-version that will definitely more than satisfy your craving.

My recipe combines both all-purpose and whole wheat flour in equal parts, a dash of maple syrup in addition to both granulated and brown sugars and some cinnamon and nutmeg to spice up the mix.  The butter is browned for an extra flavor boost and a small amount of sour cream adds tenderness.  Lastly, the muffins are topped with a few chopped pecans for a bit of nutty texture. 

Once your butter is browned, this is a very quick project that comes together with a bowl and a whisk.   You’ll soon have something to enjoy on a lazy weekend or as a comforting partner for your afternoon refreshment break.  They also pack very well for a picnic.

Bench notes:

- Some tips for browning butter:

1) Use a stainless steel pan to best gauge the color of the butter as it starts to brown.  Have a small heatproof bowl near the stove so you can immediately pour off the butter when it's done. 

2) Cut the butter into small pieces so it melts consistently without spot scorching.

3) Use medium to medium low heat and watch it carefully.  As the butter starts to melt and heat up, you'll notice small bubbles on the surface that get larger.  Lift the pan and swirl the butter for more control if it’s browning too fast or nearly done.  You'll notice the milk solids starting to brown on the bottom of the pan very quickly.  Keep your eyes on this and keep swirling.  It will be done very quickly after you notice the first brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Stop when you think it's almost there and just as it begins to smoke.  It will continue to brown off the heat, so pour immediately into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.   Set aside to cool.

4) If you've gone too far, it will look very dark and taste bitter, so you'll have to start over again.  You’re looking for medium amber brown.

5) When adding the browned butter to the rest of the ingredients, include all the brown bits that have settled to the bottom of the bowl.

- Let the browned butter cool a bit then add the sugars.  And then you'll want it to be cooled down enough before you add the eggs.

- I’ve found that sour cream works best to really tenderize banana pastries. 

- For easy transfer, use an ice cream scoop to portion the batter.

Banana Maple Pecan Muffins

Makes 14 muffins

3/4 cup (3 3/4 oz) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (3 3/4 oz) whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 oz (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup (2 1/2 oz) maple syrup

2 eggs @ room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup (2 medium; 11 1/2 oz in skins) banana, coarsely mashed

1/3 cup (2 3/4 oz) sour cream

1/3 cup (33 grams) pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 14 wells of standard muffin pans with paper cups. 

Sift both flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside.

Brown the butter until it’s medium amber.  Immediately pour into a heatproof mixing bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients.  Let it cool for a few minutes, then add both sugars and maple syrup.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.  

Add half of the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Blend in the bananas and sour cream.  Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until there are no more flour streaks. 

Portion the batter equally in 14 muffin wells.  Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.  


Bake until a golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 - 22 minutes.  Place pans on a wire rack to cool. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Pandowdy

Spring and summer are all about rustic pastries and desserts made with fresh fruit.  Pies, cobblers and crisps are without question something we crave as we head into this amazing seasonal parade of berries, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums and figs.

I’ve picked up some beautiful fresh strawberries and rhubarb and worked these into a pandowdy.  This is an old-fashioned deep-dish spoon dessert that is topped with a thick layer of pie dough rather than a dumpling or biscuit used for cobbler.  The fruit is thickened only slightly to produce lots of juices. The topping is traditionally broken up and pushed down into the fruit once it’s formed a crust during the baking process so it may have gotten its name from the crumpled appearance. 

This pandowdy has a crumbly, nutty, topping and a combination of sweet and tart fruit.  The topping is kind of a cross between pie dough and a biscuit.  It has a perfect balance of flour and brown sugar combined with finely ground almonds and oats, which add a wonderful taste and texture.  I didn’t carry out the traditional breaking up of the top crust because I didn’t want this tasty topping to lose its crisp texture and I wanted to keep the fruit juicy.  The topping comes from a recipe for Raspberry Rhubarb Pandowdy from Williams-Sonoma.  I used strawberries instead of raspberries and almonds instead of pecans. 

This is a really delicious alternative to cobbler.  For an extra note of luxury, add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Bench notes:

- I like to use sliced almonds because they are easier to process to a fine meal. 

- Toast sliced almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 5 - 8 minutes. Watch them closely as they will burn very, very quickly.

- Taste your strawberries for sweetness and add sugar to your own taste.  

- Add the zest of 1/2 orange and/or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to the fruit for a variation in flavor.  

- I cut out the dough with 2 1/4" square and 2 1/2" round cutters and got 14 biscuits.  I used 9 to top the fruit.  I baked the remaining 5 on a separate baking sheet for about 22 minutes.  They’re delicious all on their own.  

Strawberry Rhubarb Pandowdy

adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Serves 6 - 8

Topping

1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) sliced almonds, toasted

3/4 cup (2 1/4 oz) oats                               

1 cup (5 oz) flour

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) dark brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 oz (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces        

1/2 cup (4 oz) milk

Filling

1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries

12 oz rhubarb (about 5 stalks), cut into 1/2” slices

1/4 cup - 1/3 cup (1 3/4 oz - 2 1/2 oz)) granulated sugar, to taste

2 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) cornstarch

  

For the topping, place the toasted almonds, oats, flour, brown sugar, baking power and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Process until the almonds and oats are finely ground.  Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until the mixture forms coarse, uniform crumbs.  Add the milk and pulse just until mixture comes together and forms a soft, sticky dough.  Place on top of a piece of plastic wrap and pat into a flat disc.  Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and roll the dough out to a 9” square about 1/3” thick.  Slide onto a baking sheet and chill until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the filling, hull and halve the strawberries and place in a large bowl.  Cut the rhubarb into 1/2” pieces and add to the bowl.  Whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch and toss with the fruit to coat.  Pour into an 8” square baking dish and distribute evenly.

Using a cookie cutter or a sharp knife, cut out shapes from the dough and arrange over fruit.  Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

Bake until the topping is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Raspberry Chocolate Cream Puffs

Among the most iconic French pastries is perhaps pâte à choux.  It forms the basis for the cream puff and the éclair sold by the dozens in just about every pastry case around the world.  This crisp and light-as-air pastry shell, made by cooking water, flour and butter, then adding eggs until it becomes a silky paste, is a great vehicle for an array of delicious fillings and toppings, sweet and savory.  Whether it’s pastry cream and chocolate glaze for the éclair, a billow of whipped cream for a cream puff, a scoop of your favorite ice cream for profiteroles, or a cheesey gougère, there’s no hope of resisting the temptation of each and every bite.  And they make excellent small indulgences that really satisfy a craving for a simple pleasure without being so heavy that you wish you hadn’t.  There are thankfully no regrets with pâte à choux.

The cream puff is a super simple pastry filled with sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla (aka, crème chantilly) and dusted with powdered sugar.  In this Raspberry Chocolate Cream Puff, I’ve taken this simple concept and dressed it up a bit by making puffs filled with whipped cream that's been swirled with raspberry jam.  The bottoms are dipped in chocolate, tops dusted with powdered sugar.  The pastry is still light, crisp and airy and presents a bright and alluring visual element.  It’s an easy dessert that takes just a few minutes to assemble.  And truly, there’s nothing like a cream puff.

Place your piped pâte à choux in the oven and then wait for the magic to happen.  You’ll be amazed at how gorgeous they look after just 22 minutes or so.  Breathtaking!

Bench notes:

- Pâte à choux is not difficult to make. It just requires that you try not to hurry the process. What makes it work are a few simple techniques: 

1) Once you add the flour to the boiling water and butter, stir constantly and cook the dough for a couple of minutes until there’s steam rising and a distinct film appears on the bottom of the pan. This is important because you need to cook out the taste of the flour. 

2) Take the dough off the heat and beat it in a mixer with a paddle on medium speed or with a wooden spoon until there is no longer any trace of steam rising. This helps to dry out the dough in preparation for incorporating the eggs. 

3) Add the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly before adding the next. The dough will look lumpy at first but will smooth out beautifully.  Scrape down the bowl after each addition. 

4) The pâte à choux is ready when it's smooth and shiny and falls from a rubber spatula in gloppy sheets. 

5) Always use an egg wash to ensure beautiful even browning. 

6) The test for baked pâte à choux is when the pastry feels very light and sounds hollow when tapped.

- I use a serrated knife to slice the cream puffs.

- Pâte à choux are best eaten the same day but you can also freeze them baked and unfilled in an airtight container. Thaw and crisp in a 350 degree F oven for about 8 – 10 minutes.

- Swirl your favorite jam into the whipped cream or layer with fresh fruit.

- Switch up the vanilla in the whipped cream with almond extract or brandy.

- A wonderful holiday treat: Profiteroles with Egg Nog Ice Cream and Rum Sauce.

Raspberry Chocolate Cream Puffs

Makes about 18 cream puffs

1 cup (8 oz) water

4 oz (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (5 oz) flour

4 eggs

1 egg + 1 tablespoon water + slight pinch of salt for egg wash

6 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate                     

3 oz (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

2 cups (16 oz) heavy cream

2 tablespoons (26 grams) sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup raspberry jam

powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Prepare 2 baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. 

Bring the water, butter pieces and salt to a rolling boil.  Reduce heat and add flour all at once. Cook and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it’s smooth, pulls away from the sides of pan and leaves a noticeable film on the bottom of the pan.  This will take a couple of minutes.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment (or use a bowl and a wooden spoon) until there is no longer any steam rising from the dough.  Beat in one egg until thoroughly mixed.  The dough will go from looking lumpy to very smooth.  Scrape down the bowl, add the second egg and beat until you have the same results.  Continue with the remaining 2 eggs. While the dough is mixing, make an egg wash by combining the egg, water and a slight pinch of salt.  Set aside.  

Place the pâte à choux into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2" plain tip.  Pipe mounds approximately 1 1/2" in diameter.  Wet your index finger with cold water and smooth the tops of each piece of piped dough. Brush lightly with egg wash (you’ll have a lot left over). 

Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 22 - 24 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Finely chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl with the butter over a bain marie with an inch or so of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water.  As it melts, stir to thoroughly combine.  Remove from heat and cool for a minute or so.   

Take each pastry puff and dip the bottoms into the chocolate, scraping against the bowl to remove excess.  Place them with the bottoms up on a baking sheet.  Chill until set.

Whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla to soft peak.  Dollop with the jam and use a small spatula or knife to swirl. 

Using a serrated knife, cut the tops off the pâte à choux and place on a baking sheet.  Dust with powder sugar.  Place a dollop of whipped cream in the bottom and replace the tops.  Serve immediately.

Upside Down Maple Pecan Biscuits

I find great pleasure in preparing biscuits in the early morning hours.  They’re very easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.  It’s mostly all in the technique, making sure you keep the butter and liquids very cold and don’t over handle the dough.  And who can resist a warm biscuit fresh from the oven?

To mix things up a bit, I’ve made some biscuits that are baked on top of a combination of butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, orange zest and pecans.  They’re sort of a super quick and less sweet version of a sticky bun without the yeast and the heaviness.  The biscuits are made very tender with the addition of buttermilk and plain yogurt.  The whole thing bakes in about 20 minutes.

This is a fun brunch item for lazy weekend mornings when you can take the time to enjoy the start of the day and indulge a bit.  Serve these warm with some coffee and you’ll be on your way.

Bench notes:

- Lining the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment makes it much easier to remove the warm biscuits from the pan.  When I turned out the biscuits, the parchment stayed in the pan with very little topping stuck behind.

- Add a very light sprinkle of salt to the topping if you prefer.

- Use a pastry blender if you'd rather not work the butter into the flour mixture with your hands.

- The dough will be soft and moist but not sticky.  Do your best not to over work the dough, which causes the butter to warm, toughens the dough and produces a heavier biscuit.

- Plain Buttermilk Biscuits or Sweet Potato Biscuits are also fabulous.

Upside Down Maple Pecan Biscuits

Serves 9

Topping

1 1/2 oz (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons (1 1/4 oz) maple syrup 

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

zest of 1/2 orange

1/2 cup (1 3/4 oz) pecans, coarsely chopped

Biscuits

2 cups (10 oz) flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 oz (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter                                             

1/2 cup (4 oz) cold buttermilk

1/2 cup (4 oz) plain cold yogurt

1/2 oz (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted for brushing

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9” cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment.

For the topping, place the melted butter in the prepared pan and swirl it around to cover the entire surface.  Drizzle the maple syrup on top of the butter.  Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and orange zest and sprinkle evenly on top of the butter and syrup.  Top with the coarsely chopped pecans.   Chill while you prepare the biscuits.

For the biscuits, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together in a bowl.  Cut the butter into 1/2” pieces and add to the flour mixture.  Using your hands, toss to coat all the pieces of butter with flour. Working quickly with a pastry blender or your fingers, pinch and flatten the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is the size of peas with some smaller crumbs.

Combine the buttermilk and yogurt.  Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour it in. Using a fork, fluff the flour into the center and gently stir and turn the ingredients until you have a soft dough.  Give it a gentle kneading; about 3 - 4 turns should be enough to consolidate the dough.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface that's been very lightly dusted with flour.  Pat it into a round 8" in diameter. Use a 2 1/2" cutter to form the biscuits, pushing straight down and lifting up to cut rather than twisting. Place the biscuits on top of the pecan mixture, lining up 8 evenly spaced around the edge of the pan and 1 in the center.  Use some of the scraps and fill in any large holes around the center biscuit.  Brush the tops lightly with melted butter. 

Bake until they are puffed and the tops are golden brown, about 20 – 22 minutes.  Remove from the oven and within a minute or so, use mitts or a potholder to invert the pan onto a platter.  Lift off the pan and gently remove the parchment.  Scrape any topping left in the pan back onto the biscuits.  Serve warm.

 

Banana Walnut Scones

For most people, time has become a supreme luxury.  Time to linger over a delicious and wholesome breakfast, engage in fun or stimulating conversation, savor every last drop of your favorite freshly brewed coffee.  We are often in a rush from the moment we awaken to the moment we drop off to bed for the evening.  When we do find some extra time, we do our best to catch up on precious sleep, monitor the comings and goings of loved ones and perhaps even spend some good time in the kitchen.

Weekend brunch is a good way to remedy all this.  It’s a great time to relax and enjoy whatever promise the day may bring and prepare something fun and delicious that perhaps errs on the side of extreme pleasure.  For me, this can mean some wonderful freshly made granola, fruit and yeasted pastries, a very nice coffee cake, biscotti, some scones or warm biscuits. 

Today’s bake is a pretty simple but wholesome Banana Walnut Scone.  Yes, this is another opportunity to take those ripening bananas and do something productive!  It’s the usual scone mix of flour, sugar, leavening, butter and dairy to which I’ve added a couple of ripe bananas, a pinch of spice and molasses and some nuts.  Whips up in no time, leaving you to relax and proceed to enjoy every precious moment of your morning.

Bench notes:

- Make sure your brown sugar is lump free or it melts in pockets, leaving holes in your finished pastry.  To prevent lumps, store brown sugar in an airtight container or place a piece of bread or apple in the bag.  Some people say storing in a Ziploc bag in the freezer also works but I’ve never tried it.  You’d need to bring it to room temperature because excessive cold will discourage the baking properties of leavening or yeast.

- Do your best to handle the dough very little to ensure maximum tenderness.

- Scones are best enjoyed the same day.

- More good brunch ideas.  

Banana Walnut Scones

Makes 8 scones

2 cups (10 oz) flour                                    

3 tablespoons (39 grams) granulated sugar                                       

3 tablespoons (39 grams) dark brown sugar, packed                                               

2 teaspoons baking powder                                                                                

1/2 teaspoon baking soda                                                                                               

scant 1/2 teaspoon salt                                                                                                    

1 teaspoon cinnamon                                                       

pinch nutmeg

1 cup (about 2 medium) ripe bananas, coarsely mashed                

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (3 oz) cold buttermilk            

1 tablespoon (16 grams) molasses                                                                              

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 oz (6 tablespoons) unsalted cold butter                                             

1/2 cup (1 3/4 oz) walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

                       

1 oz (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted for brushing the tops

1 tablespoon sugar + pinch cinnamon, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

Whisk the flour, granulated and brown sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices until completely blended. 

Mash the bananas, leaving some small lumps, and combine with the buttermilk, molasses and vanilla. 

Cut the cold butter into 1/2” pieces and add to the flour mixture.  Toss thoroughly to coat with flour.  Use your fingers to pinch the butter into small thin flakes about the size of a dime, tossing as you go to continue to coat the butter thoroughly with flour.  Make a well in the center and add the banana mixture and walnuts.  Stir gently with a fork until it starts to come together and the liquid seems fairly absorbed.  The dough will look a little shaggy.  Gather the loose and lumpy dough and knead it very gently just 2 or 3 times until it holds together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Gather and gently pat together into a circle about 7” in diameter and about 1” thick.  Using a lightly floured bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal wedges.  Lift them with a metal spatula and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2” apart.  Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.

Bake until firm to the touch and golden brown, about 14 - 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

I had some extra sweet potatoes leftover from Thanksgiving projects so I turned to the alluring idea of Sweet Potato Biscuits.  Who can refuse a fresh biscuit?  And as it turns out, these are terrific on their own, served with a big breakfast or as a canvas for a great little sandwich. 

This recipe is from Molly Wizenberg, perhaps better known as Orangette.  However, I made several adjustments: I deleted the cayenne and added a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.  I increased the baking powder to 1 tablespoon and dialed back the salt, using a scant 1/2 teaspoon.  I also lowered the oven temperature down to 400 degrees F and baked them for 15 – 16 minutes.  I post Molly's recipe as written along with my modifications.

These are a nice change from regular biscuits.  They are good just with a dollop of butter, honey or your favorite jam.  They’d be great with ham, mustard and honey, as Molly recommends.  Or if you happen to have any turkey leftovers hanging about, with an indulgence of gravy.  After all, 'tis the season.

Bench notes: 

- The recipe calls for boiling the sweet potatoes in water until tender.  I had leftover roasted sweet potatoes from my Spiced Sweet Potato Pie, which were roasted with butter, orange zest and spices.

- Let the sweet potatoes cool completely to let the steam escape so they won’t be too wet.

- Use a pastry blender if you'd rather not work the butter into the flour mixture with your hands.

- The recipe says to bake these in a buttered 9” x 1 1/2” cake pan but I just placed them on a baking sheet lined with a silpat.

- Once the biscuits are cut out, turning them upside down before placing them on prepared pan to bake gives them better loft.

- Molly's yield of 25 biscuits seems like a stretch.  Doesn't seem like you could get 25 biscuits in a 9" cake pan.  My biscuit cutter is 2 1/2” and I got 10 biscuits.  I think if you use her recommended 1 1/2" biscuit cutter, you'll probably get around 15 or so.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

adapted from Molly Wizenberg at Bon Appétit

Makes about 25 biscuits

12 oz sweet potato             

1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 oz) flour                                     

1 tablespoon (13 grams) dark brown sugar. packed                         

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder  [I used 1 tablespoon]

1 teaspoon salt                            [I used scant 1/2 teaspoon]

1/2 teaspoon baking soda                                                           

Pinch of cayenne pepper          [ I used a pinch of cinnamon & nutmeg]

4 oz (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into 1/2" cubes                   

1/3 cup cold buttermilk 

melted butter, for glazing                                                      

Peel and cut the sweet potato into chunks.  Cook in boiling water until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Let them drain and cool thoroughly, then mash them.  Portion out 3/4 cup.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F [I baked them at 400 degrees F].  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9” cake pan with 1 1/2" high sides.  [I just placed them on a silpat-lined baking sheet.]

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cayenne (or cinnamon and nutmeg, if using).  Add cold butter pieces to the flour mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.  Working quickly with your fingertips, pinch and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like pebbles the size of peas with some smaller crumbs.

Whisk together the 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk. Add to the flour mixture and toss with a fork.  Gather it with your hands and knead gently just a few times until a soft dough comes together.  About 3 or 4 turns should be enough to consolidate the dough.

Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured work surface and gently pat into 1” thick round.  Cut using 1 1/2” biscuit cutter [I used a 2 1/2" cutter], flouring after each cut and pushing straight down and lifting straight up to cut rather than twisting.  Turn the biscuits over (bottom side up) and place them in the prepared cake pan.  Brush the tops lightly with melted butter. 

Bake until puffed and golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center biscuit comes out clean, about 22 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the biscuits out and gently pull them apart.  Serve warm.