These muffins came dangerously close to being devoured before they were even muffins. Let me just say that there is nothing like the flavor of browned butter, especially when combined with cinnamon, oats, and sugar. Whole wheat flour adds depth and nuttiness, and perhaps a bit of health to these muffins. I certainly [...]]]>

These muffins came dangerously close to being devoured before they were even muffins. Let me just say that there is nothing like the flavor of browned butter, especially when combined with cinnamon, oats, and sugar. Whole wheat flour adds depth and nuttiness, and perhaps a bit of health to these muffins. I certainly had no guilt as I tested spoonful after spoonful of the batter, thinking “browned butter, where have you been all my life?”! Friends, this actually happened. I may need an intervention.

See all those little brown bits on the bottom? That’s where all the flavor is. Delicious, nutty, buttery flavor. It’s not quite as pronounced in the final product as it is in the batter (go ahead, taste a bit of the batter. I won’t tell.), but it definitely adds a little somethin’ that puts these muffins over the top. They absolutely taste like oatmeal raisin cookies.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Muffins
Adapted from Pinch My Salt
Yield: 12 muffins

3/4 cup milk, room temperature
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup extra thick rolled oats
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease muffin tins with butter and set aside. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, add the vinegar to the milk and allow to sit until needed.

To brown the butter: place the butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, it will begin to bubble and foam. Continue cooking, watching very closely, until little brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan. This will happen very fast and it will burn if you’re not careful. As soon as you see brown bits on the bottom, remove the pan from the heat. It will have a pleasantly nutty aroma. Transfer the butter to a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the oats. In a separate bowl, combine the browned butter, eggs, milk mixture, and sugar with a whisk. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined. Fold in the raisins.

Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups and bake for 18-22 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. As is the case with most muffins, these freeze well.

The sun may have come out for an hour or two today. But mostly the blue-tinted sky had an ominous look about it. There’s another storm brewing. Last Friday, we had a glorious thunder and lightning storm that filled up our rain barrel in no time flat. The mountains still show patches of [...]]]>

The sun may have come out for an hour or two today. But mostly the blue-tinted sky had an ominous look about it. There’s another storm brewing. Last Friday, we had a glorious thunder and lightning storm that filled up our rain barrel in no time flat. The mountains still show patches of white snow among the evergreens, a sure sign that it’s been a chilly week. Just perfect for curling up on the couch with a cat at my side and a mug of tea and an orange oat scone on the coffee table in front of me.

Working with scone dough is a quick and dirty process. You get permission to dive right in with your hands and blend the ingredients, albeit gently. Flour, oats, and crumbly bits of dough end up all over the kitchen, if you’re anything like me. The dough comes together quickly and the baking time is short. In no time, I had a half dozen scones on my counter and another disc of dough in the freezer for later.

These scones are hearty, with a slight sweetness and satisfying crunch from the turbinado sugar on top. I used extra thick rolled oats, and they lend a wonderfully chewy quality. I like my scones to have a bit of structure. The hint of citrus adds some bright, summery cheer. With the sounds of Gov’t Mule in the background and a good book awaiting me, it’s going to be a cozy evening.

Orange Oat Scones
Adapted slightly from 101 Cookbooks
Yield: 12 scones

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached, unbromated all-purpose flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
2 cups rolled oats
zest of 1 orange
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
2/3 cup dried currants
turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together both types of flour, the sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut the butter into 1/4 inch cubes. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter cubes into the dry ingredients.

Stir in the oats and orange zest. Pour in the cream and yogurt, mixing gently just until combined. Do not overwork the dough. If more moisture is needed to bring the dough together, add a small amount of cream at a time.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Gather the dough with your hands and split it in half. Form each half into a disc approximately 6 inches in diameter. You may wrap one disc and freeze it at this point, if desired. Slice the disc(s) into six triangles. Place the scones onto the baking sheet, leaving an inch or two in between. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Allow to cool on the pan.

I need to prepare for the 2011 LA Cupcake Challenge. I’m not sure what it takes to prepare for such an event. Cupcake visualization? An all-you-can-eat cupcake contest? Avoiding cupcakes for weeks prior to the event? I’m open to suggestions.

Last year, I made it through almost all of the cupcakes. I have [...]]]>

I need to prepare for the 2011 LA Cupcake Challenge. I’m not sure what it takes to prepare for such an event. Cupcake visualization? An all-you-can-eat cupcake contest? Avoiding cupcakes for weeks prior to the event? I’m open to suggestions.

Last year, I made it through almost all of the cupcakes. I have been invited to judge the contest again this year, so maybe I can improve upon my ability to put away dozens of mini cupcakes within three hours.

This event may prove to be a bigger challenge than last year, owing to the fact that I’ve drastically reduced my refined sugar intake since then. Perhaps I should ease back into refined sugar before my cupcake binge. Would that lessen the potential for sugar coma?

These muffins won’t exactly help me with that goal since the only bit of refined sugar is in the applesauce. But I still consider them a warm up to the big event. And they make for quite a tasty mid-morning snack, paired with a cup of tea. Unsweetened applesauce would work just as nicely, if you’re not in training for the cupcake challenge.

Spiced Yogurt Muffins
Adapted from Cafe Nilson
Yield: 12 muffins plus 12 mini muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup plain yogurt, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup applesauce (I used my cranberry applesauce/jam)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a regular muffin tin and a mini muffin tin with butter and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. In a separate bowl, stir together the maple syrup, yogurt, eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, and butter.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes (10-12 minutes for mini muffins), or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Place the pans on a cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan and place them directly on the cooling rack to cool completely.

Thanksgiving is already upon us. The air has taken on the crisp, cool flavor of autumn. As the weather changes, so does my baking and my daily routine. I spend more time curled up with my cat, reading a book in the light of a sunny window. I seek out recipes that take [...]]]>

Thanksgiving is already upon us. The air has taken on the crisp, cool flavor of autumn. As the weather changes, so does my baking and my daily routine. I spend more time curled up with my cat, reading a book in the light of a sunny window. I seek out recipes that take advantage of fall fruits, filling the house with warmth and spicy aromas. Apples and cranberries fill empty space on my counter and work their way into bread and desserts. This quick bread is just as perfect for a Thanksgiving table as it is for breakfast on a crisp autumn morning.

As the busy holiday season sets in, Thanksgiving serves as a reminder that we should take the time to be grateful. Grateful for the simple ingredients that combine to provide us sustenance, and grateful for the family and friends that surround us.

This year, I am incredibly grateful for the new job that I will be starting in just over a week. After five months of unemployment I have found an opportunity to work in a field that I’ve dreamed about for years. It will require moving and changing the familiar scenery of my life, but I am grateful for this change and the inspiration that it will undoubtedly bring.

What are you grateful for this year?

Cranberry Apple Quick Bread
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: one loaf

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9″ loaf pan with butter or spray with cooking spray.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, applesauce, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in the apple chunks and cranberries.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool completely before slicing.

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987…

Have you deciphered the pattern? Each term is the sum of the previous two terms, creating the Fibonacci sequence. I find the graphical representation of this sequence beautiful and intriguing. Using squares whose sides correspond to the [...]]]>

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987…

Have you deciphered the pattern? Each term is the sum of the previous two terms, creating the Fibonacci sequence. I find the graphical representation of this sequence beautiful and intriguing. Using squares whose sides correspond to the numbers in the sequence, each consecutive square is placed in an outwardly spiraling manner. There is something satisfying about the way that each square nestles against the previous squares, and the pattern seems to contribute equally to the fields of mathematics and art. Since baking is a bit of both, I used this pattern as the inspiration for my berry dessert pizza.

I filled each square with a different berry: blueberries, pomegranate seeds, raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries. Atop a honey whole wheat crust with a layer of sweetened mascarpone cheese, each of the berries adds a different degree of tartness. A drizzle of caramel sauce balances the flavors perfectly!

Berry Dessert Pizza
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 8 servings

Dessert Pizza Dough
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

In a large bowl, or the bowl of your mixer, combine the yeast, whole wheat flour, bread flour, and salt. Add the olive oil, honey, and 1 cup of the water. Stir with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer until the dough comes together. If necessary, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time to get the dough to come together.

Knead the dough by hand or mixer until it becomes a cohesive dough. It may still look a little rough, but should hold together well. This will take about 5 minutes with the dough hook of a mixer.

Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour. It should be very puffy and not quite doubled in size.

Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper (if you are baking the crust directly on a pizza stone) or grease the pizza pan of your choice. Stretch the dough into shape. If it won’t hold its shape, cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes then try to stretch it farther.

Cover the shaped dough with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour. It will puff up quite a bit. Preheat the oven to 450° for at least 45 minutes during this last rise.

Use a peel to transfer the pizza directly onto a baking stone (or place the pizza pan in the oven) and bake for 10-12 minutes. The crust should be golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before adding toppings.

Dessert Pizza Sauce

3/4 cup homemade mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Whisk the maple syrup into the mascarpone until combined. Spread a thin layer over the pizza crust.

Top with berries of your choice. Fibonacci sequence art is optional.

Place the pizza back into the oven for about 5 minutes. The mascarpone sauce should be bubbly and just starting to turn brown. The berries will soften ever so slightly. Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve with a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce
Adapted from Simply Recipes
Yield: 1 cup

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make sure all of your ingredients are ready and accessible before starting. Boiling sugar is extremely hot and can go from caramel to burnt very quickly. You don’t want to be trying to measure the cream while your caramel burns!

In a 2 or 3 quart saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When the liquid comes to a boil, stop stirring and allow it to boil until the sugar starts to brown. Gently swirl the pan if necessary to keep the liquid heating evenly.

When the sugar becomes a dark amber color, carefully add the butter, stirring vigorously. It will bubble up and then subside as the butter melts. When the butter has melted completely, remove the pan from the heat. After 3 seconds, stir in the cream and vanilla extract. Again, the mixture will foam up. Keep stirring vigorously until the mixture is smooth.

Allow the sauce to cool for 15-20 minutes before drizzling over the pizza. When completely cooled, the sauce can be stored in the refrigerator.

Challenge #5 of Project Food Blog prompted the remaining 72 contestants to put their own spin on a common theme: pizza. Voting starts Monday, October 18th at 6AM Pacific Time, and runs through Thursday, October 21st at 6PM Pacific Time. As always, I truly appreciate your support!

Exactly one year ago I started my blogging adventure. I’ve baked many a tasty loaf of bread over the last 525,600 minutes, but lately I’ve been in a bread rut. When I achieved roasted garlic sourdough perfection, I became rather uninterested in baking anything else. I baked hundreds of garlic sourdough loaves and [...]]]>

Exactly one year ago I started my blogging adventure. I’ve baked many a tasty loaf of bread over the last 525,600 minutes, but lately I’ve been in a bread rut. When I achieved roasted garlic sourdough perfection, I became rather uninterested in baking anything else. I baked hundreds of garlic sourdough loaves and shared just as many as I consumed. I am thrilled to have discovered a consistent recipe that produces a tangy bread each time. But nobody should get stuck in a rut (even if it is a tangy, garlicky one), so for World Bread Day 2010 I have left my bread comfort zone to bake sourdough focaccia.

I decided to adapt Peter Reinhart’s poolish focaccia into a sourdough version. This is always a bit scary for me as I am hesitant to monkey around with yeast, flour, and water ratios. The poolish in the original recipe is at a 107% hydration, and my sourdough starter is maintained at a 175% hydration. Performing a series of simple math calculations, I came up with a recipe that would probably work out. And to my surprise, it did.

I could smell the bittersweet aroma of sourdough, whole wheat, and extra virgin olive oil as I worked with the dough. The dough becomes incredibly soft and supple as it rests, and it was a joy to prod it gently with my fingers until it stretched the length of the pan.

It was at this point that I had an inkling that I may have gotten the formula right. However, the next long rest would prove or disprove my theory. Sourdough is slower to rise than commercial yeast dough, so it was all I could do to set the timer for slightly longer than the recipe dictated and walk away. When I returned after 2 1/2 hours to see a puffy mass of dough I was ecstatic!

The best thing about a freshly baked, flavorful loaf of bread is sharing it. I brought some focaccia to my neighbors so that they could celebrate World Bread Day also.

Sourdough Focaccia
Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
Yield: One 12 x 17 inch focaccia

2 2/3 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups sourdough starter (I fed mine 12 hours prior)
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup olive oil and herbs for drizzling

In a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer, combine the bread flour, wheat flour, and salt. Add the sourdough starter, olive oil, and water. Mix with a spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer until well mixed and smooth. The dough is very wet, so if you are using a spoon dip it in cold water as needed to prevent sticking.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for 5-7 minutes, or knead by hand. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky to clear the sides of the bowl. Try not to add too much flour, the dough should be pretty sticky but not overly so.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and pat it into a rectangle about 6 inches wide. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Stretch and fold the dough. To do this, coat your hands with flour. Grab opposite sides of the rectangle and stretch the dough to about twice its size. Then fold one end 2/3 of the way in, and fold the other end on top like a letter. It should still be a rectangle shape.

Spread a small amount of olive oil over the rectangle, dust with flour, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold again, then let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold one more time, then let the dough rest for 1 hour. It will puff up but not double in size.

Line a 12 x 17 inch sheet pan with parchment paper and spread 1/4 cup of olive oil over the parchment. Gently transfer the dough rectangle onto the pan. Drizzle another 1/4 cup of olive oil over the dough, and use your fingertips to dimple the dough. As you dimple, spread the dough towards the corners of the pan. If the dough becomes too elastic, allow it to rest for 15 minutes or so and then continue. It’s alright if you are unable to get the dough to completely fill the pan. As it proofs it will expand.

Make sure the surface of the dough is covered with olive oil. Sprinkle herbs over the dough, if desired. I used herbs de Provence and dried basil. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof for 2 1/2-3 hours, or until it rises to almost 1 inch in thickness. If the dough needs to be spread more, dimple it with your fingers until it fills the pan, then allow it to rest for another 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 500° during the last rise. Place the pan on the middle rack and lower the temperature to 450°. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 5-10 minutes. The focaccia will be done when the top begins to turn light brown.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes (if you can!) before slicing.

UPDATE: The World Bread Day roundup has been posted! Bakers from 30 different countries baked 311 loaves of bread, so you’re sure to find a recipe that inspires you.

The aroma of nutty whole wheat pastry crust, browning butter, and melting cheese hung in the air as this galette baked. I resisted the urge to pull it from the oven before it was finished baking. Quickly and carefully, I transferred the piping hot galette to a fresh piece of parchment paper for [...]]]>

The aroma of nutty whole wheat pastry crust, browning butter, and melting cheese hung in the air as this galette baked. I resisted the urge to pull it from the oven before it was finished baking. Quickly and carefully, I transferred the piping hot galette to a fresh piece of parchment paper for its photo shoot. I snapped a few quick (blurry) photos, then got to work slicing and eating this galette. When you make this for yourself, you’ll understand.

Swiss chard was prolific in our garden this year. It was the easiest crop to take care of and produces more chard than we can eat ourselves. It doesn’t show any signs of stopping, even with the cooler temperatures we have (finally) been experiencing this week!

Fall is just around the corner, which means that it must be football season. I don’t know much about football, and you probably won’t catch me on the couch every Sunday morning. But add a football theme to a baking challenge and I’ll definitely be cheering.

September’s “You Want Pies With That?” theme is football, so I decided to honor my alma mater with this Swiss chard galette. Portland State’s colors are forest green and white, so chard is the perfect vegetable to represent PSU!

I sliced this galette into four generous slices, though you could get six servings out of it if you prefer. My inner math geek loves that these slices look like right triangles.

Swiss Chard Galette
Crust adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Filling created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 4-6 servings, depending on how you slice it

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, coarsely diced
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water

For the filling:
1 bunch chard (about 16 leaves)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

To make the crust:
In a large bowl, stir the flour and salt together. Add the cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream and ice water. Add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir gently with a wooden spoon until lumps form. Gather the lumps together into a disc shape and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

To make the filling:
Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Separate the chard leaves from the stems. Chop the stems into 1/2 inch pieces, and slice the leaves into strips. Boil the stems for 3 minutes, then add the leaves and continue to boil for another 3 minutes. Pour the chard into a colander, rinse with cold water, and allow to drain. Press out as much water as possible with a kitchen towel or paper towel.

In a large bowl, combine the chard, feta cheese, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble the galette:
Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to facilitate easier removal of the galette, or just leave the baking sheet ungreased.

On a floured surface, roll out the galette to a 12 inch circle. Spread ricotta cheese to within 1 or 2 inches of the edges. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the ricotta. Spoon chard filling in an even layer over the cheese. Fold the edges of the galette over the top of the filling, leaving the center open. Football laces are optional. Using a pastry brush, coat the exposed (folded over) part of the crust with melted butter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Place the entire baking sheet on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.