Slightly crisp edges and a chewy center. Perfect for holiday baking.

Happy Hanukah!

½ cup water water (about 110 F)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk (save the white for the glaze)
3 cups all-purpose flour (+ ½ cup, if needed)
¼ cup sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 large egg white (to glaze)

DIRECTIONS

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 3 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk the warm water, melted butter, eggs and egg yolk. With the mixer on low, slowly add the water mixture and mix until a rough dough starts to form. Increase the speed to medium-low and let the machine knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl, but stick to the bottom. If the dough is too sticky, add up to ½ cup flour a little at a time.

Lightly grease a large bowl, form the dough into a smooth ball, and place in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, or place in refrigerator overnight. To check if your dough has risen enough, press a finger into the dough. If it springs back, let it rise a little bit longer. If it stays indented, move onto the next step.

When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured countertop and cut it in half. Roll the first half out into a rectangle and sprinkle the chocolate chips over it. Roll the dough into a tight rope. Very carefully stretch the rope of dough as far as you think you can from each end, and cut this longer rope in half. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Place two ropes of dough in each direction, perpendicular to each other, like a pound symbol #. Weave them so that one rope is over and the other is under where they meet. Take the four legs that come from underneath the center and cross them over the rope to it’s right. Take the ropes that are now on the bottom and, again, cross each over the top rope, this time to the left. If you have extra length in your ropes, you can repeat these left-right jumps until you run out of rope. Tuck the ends of the ropes under the dough with the sides of your hands to form a round shape.*

Once you’ve formed your challah, place it on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Beat the egg white and brush it over the dough. Let the challah rise another hour.

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until deeply brown. If your challah is getting too dark too quick, tent it with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time. The challah is done when a thermometer inserted into the center of the dough reads 195°F, or if you don’t have an instant thermometer, lift the challah gently with an oven mitt and knock gently on the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it’s done.

I worked with this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4-5 peeled and sectioned clementines

For the glaze:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed clementine juice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place clementine slices on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the clementine-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

 

Pete and Amy gave me a huge bag of clementines from their house so be prepared to see everything and anything you can bake with clementines. This first one is gluten free.

INGREDIENTS

3 large or 5 small tangerines (to make about a cup of puree)
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 cups almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
Powdered sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 350F

Wash your tangerines and put them in a saucepan covered with cold water. Boil for 15 minutes. Drain the pan, refill with cold water, and boil again for 15 minutes. This boiling removes the bitterness in the citrus skin.

Rough chop the tangerines and remove any seeds, do this on a plate so you don’t lose any juice. Put it all in a food processor and process until completely smooth. You’ll have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Fold in the almond meal, orange pulp, and baking powder, mixing until combined.

Pour into a buttered 9″ spring form pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to finish cooling.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

I worked with this recipe.

I’m in a muffin mood this week. Add a Pinch always has good recipe. I used this one.

2 cups all-purpose flour (+ 2 teaspoons for coating apples)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (+ ½ teaspoon for coating apples)
2 cups diced apples
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup milk

½ cup butter, melted

¼ cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375º F. Spray muffin tins with bakers spray or coat well with shortening or butter and flour, making sure to discard any excess flour from the tins after coating.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Toss together diced apples and 2 teaspoons of flour to coat apples in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add an egg, one at a time, taking care to fully incorporate before adding the other. Mix in vanilla.

Gently fold in flour mixture, alternating with milk. Stir until just combined. Fold in diced apples and scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins, filling about ⅔ to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Prepare topping for muffins while the muffins are baking by melting the butter and allowing to cool slightly. Pour butter into a separate bowl sized easy for dipping tops of muffins. Mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl and set aside.

Once muffins have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the muffin tin. Then, remove each muffin and dip first into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place onto a plate to finish cooling

Browned butter mixed with lemon and coconut.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter, browned

Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
Juice one of one lemon

#StupitGood

Gingerbread Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting. Serve it with some tea and a kiss.

INGREDIENTS

Cake
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup molasses
2/3 cup boiling water
1 large egg
Walnuts for garnish 

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Make frosting while cake is cooling. Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Frost and garnish.

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I keep posting this recipe with different sprinkles.  They make you feel like a kid.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup yogurt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking large sheets lined with silpats.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat yogurt, butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and extracts and blend again. Add flour mixture and beat just until flour disappears. In some cases, this dough will feel too soft to roll into balls in your hands; if so, let it chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or so before using.

Use a small ice cream scoop to make balls of dough and roll them briefly in the palms of your hands before dropping them in a bowl of rainbow sprinkles and gently rolling to coat them evenly.

Transfer balls of sprinkle-coated dough to baking sheets at least two inches apart. If you see any bare spots in the sprinkles that bother you, you can sprinkle a few more on top. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes until they look underbaked but lightly golden underneath. Let set on the baking sheet on a rack for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool the rest of the way.

Be sure to get this book for the baker on your Christmas list.

INGREDIENTS
180g almond meal
60g finely shredded coconut
250g sugar
70g self-rising flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
200g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
finely grated zest of 2 lemons (2 tsp)
200g fresh blueberries
20g slice almonds

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, place almond meal, coconut, sugar, flour, and salt.  Whisk to aerate and remove lumps.

Place the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk lightly.  Add the melted butter, vanilla, and lemon zest.  Whisk again until well combined.  Pour this into the dry mixture and whisk to combine.  Fold in 150g of the blueberries then pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the last of the blueberries on top, along with the sliced almonds.  Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the the center comes out clean.

Set aside for 30 minutes before inverting cake out of pan. Remove parchment and place right side up on serving plate.  Serve warm or cooled.

 

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