It’s apples, cinnamon, sugar, and butter.  What’s not to like?

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, plus more for dusting
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup water

APPLE FILLING

1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons  dark rum
2 pounds firm apples (about 5 to 6)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the raisins by mixing them with the rum and placing them in the microwave for about 20 seconds.  Let them soak while you make the dough.

Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the oil and water and mix with a spoon or your index finger until a rough dough forms. Turn it out onto a very lightly floured counter and knead for 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and silky to the tough. Form it into a ball, place it on the counter and upend the mixing bowl over it. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the apples: Peel, halve, core and slice thin in one direction, then halve the slices crosswise, creating thin rectangles of apples. Place them in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Add the raisins and any rum left in the bowl.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the 5 tablespoons butter in a small dish.

Roll out your dough: Cover your work surface with a cleaning linen towel or sheet that’s at least 24-by-32 inches. The long side should be horizontal. Sprinkle the cloth lightly with flour. Place the dough in the middle, sprinkle it very lightly with flour and roll in both directions until it’s about 10-by-13 inches, or about as far as the rolling pin can take it. Make sure the dough hasn’t stuck to the cloth; reflour if it has. Now the stretching begins! Ball your hands to loose fists, put them under the rolled-out dough and gently start stretching the dough using the back of your hands. Alternate with pulling the dough gently with your fingers to continue stretching it, stretching the edges thin too. This is all much easier than it sounds, but be patient. If holes form, pinch the dough back together. Continue stretching until the dough is about 16-by-24 inches.

Assemble strudel: Brush evenly with about half the melted butter. On the right side of the rectangle, a few inches from the end. Scoop the apples with a slotted spoon, leaving any accumulated juices in the bowl, and pile them in a line. Gently pull the top and bottom edges of the dough over the apple mixture. Pull the right edge of the dough up and over the filling as far as it will go without tearing. Working carefully, use the towel to roll up the strudel all the way. Place the parchment paper from your baking sheet at the edge of the roll and roll the strudel onto it. Use the parchment like a sling to gently place the strudel on the baking sheet.

Brush the strudel generously all over with some of the remaining butter. Bake for 15 minutes, then brush again and return to the oven in a rotated position. Repeat this once, baking a total of 45 minutes. (Half-size strudels seem to bake 5 or so minutes faster.) The finished strudel should be crisp to the touch and a deep golden brown.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and slice into pieces to serve.

I worked with this recipe.

You are gonna want to make this.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon caraway seeds

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, yeast, and water. Mix until combined. Dough will not be smooth, it will look kinda shaggy. Fold in cinnamon, raisins, sugar, and caraway seeds. Cover and let rise over night.

In the morning, Preheat oven to 450 degrees with Dutch oven inside to also heat up. Plop dough into preheated Dutch oven amd sprinkle with a little sugar and salt. Let cook with lid on for 20 minutes. Uncover and let cook for about 10 minutes more until browned on top. I also made some sugar and cinnamon butter.

I’m working on my crust game.

INGREDIENTS

Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup very cold shortening, cubed
1/4 cup very cold butter, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
6-9 tablespoons cold water

Pie Filling:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

To make pie cruse, pulse flour, shortening, butter and salt in food processor in 3 1-second bursts until shortening and butter are pea-size. With motor running, pour ice water through feed tube in a thin stream, adding just enough to moisten, and processing just until mixture looks crumbly and starts to cling together.

Pour mixture into a bowl and gather into a ball with hands squeezing it together.  Form into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out pie crust and trim and prep edges as desired. Place back in the refrigerator until filling is ready.

To make filling: Mix together eggs, sugar, flour, corn syrup, butter and vanilla, mixing well. Pour into pie shell. Sprinkle walnuts all over top, arranging them where needed.

Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 35 to 45 more minutes, or until center is set.

 

A delicious mess.

INGREDIENTS

500 g flour
1/4 ounce package instant yeast
10 g salt
350 ml of water
1/4 cup candied orange peel
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup browned butter
1/2 cup turbinado sugar

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl add flour, yeast, salt and slowly add water.  Using dough hook, begin to mix until you’ve added all the water and the dough comes together. Keep kneading for about 7 minutes until dough is soft and smooth.  Add the chopped candied orange until evenly spread throughout dough. Let it rise for two hours.

Melt and brown butter and place in a bowl to cool.  Pour sugar in another bowl.  Cut up the dough into 16 pieces.  Dip each piece in the browned butter first and then dip into sugar.  Place 8 pieces in two rows, next to one another.  Sprinkle on half the chocolate chips. Repeat on top with the last 8 pieces.  Sprinkle on the remaining chocolate and drizzle over any leftover butter.  Cover and refrigerate over night or let sit for another two hours.

Remove from refrigerator in the morning and let the dough warm up before putting into the oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for about 30 minutes.  Let cool before eating.

Yeah, I’m not so sure what you just read either. But they are delicious and smell amazing.  Get this book: Sweet.

INGREDIENTS

Spice Mix
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground aniseed
3/4 tsp ground white pepper
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Dough
100g unsalted butter at room temp + 1 tbsp melted for brushing
100 grams dark brown sugar
1 tbsp whole milk, plus 1 tbsp. if dough needs it
1/2 tsp baking soda
180 g flour
1/2 tsp salt

Almond Paste
200 g whole blanched almonds
150 g sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp lemon juice plus the zest of one small lemon
55 g of candied citrus peel chopped

To Decorate
1 large egg lightly beaten
30 grams of whole blanched almonds

DIRECTIONS

To make the spice mix:  combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

To make the dough: place the room temperature butter in the bowl of an electric mixer withe the paddle attachment in place.  Add the brown sugar and milk and beat on medium speed until smooth. Sift the baking soda, 4 tsp spice mix, the flour and salt into a bowl, then add this to the dough.  Continue to beat until the dough is soft and pliable, adding a little more milk if needed.  Transfer the dough to your work surface and lightly knead.  Cover in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to use.

To make almond paste: place the almonds in a food processor for 30 seconds–you don’t want the texture to be completely smooth. Add the sugar, egg and lemon juice and process again until it is slightly smoother but still grainy.  Finally add the lemon zest and candied peel and pulse once or twice, just to mix.  The paste should be sticky and softer than the dough, but still hold its shape.  Transfer to a a small bowl until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cool the dough out on a lightly floured 16 x 12 inch sheet of paper to form a 13x 7-1/2 inch rectangle–just over a 1/4 inch thick. Dust with flour to keep from sticking.

Transfer the dough and parchment sheet to a large baking sheet and brush 2/3 of the melted butter evenly over the dough.  spoon the almond paste lengthwise down the center of the dough to form a long sausage about 2 1/3 inches wide.  Brush the almond paste with the remainder of the butter and then using the paper to help you, fold the left side of the dough so it is on top of the paste.  Folks the right side on top of this (again using the parchment paper to hep you). The sides should be overlapping.  Press gently to secure and carefully turn the whole thing over so that the seal is at the bottom and the paste is secured.

To decorate brush the dough evenly and lightly with some of the beaten egg and arrange the whole almonds to top.  I didn’t have almonds so I used pine nuts.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the dough begins to color and the almonds are golden.  Roll will flatten out. Set aside on baking sheet until completely cool then cut into 12 slices.

I got this awesome sugar-skull patterned rolling pin.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour

Filling and Decorations
Raspberry Jam
Food dye
Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set it aside. In separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until well combined and smooth. Add eggs one at a time mixing well in between. Add the vanilla and almond extract. 

Mix in the flour mixture in one cup at a time and mix just until the ingredients are combined. Divide the dough into 3 discs and roll each one out on a mat. Freeze for 10-15 minutes and cut out your cookie shapes and bake 6-9 minutes. Decorate as you desire. 

When you get a mini bundt pan, you gotta make something.  I had already made raspberry jam earlier today, so it seemed logical. I floated these bad boys in some lemon glaze.

INGREDIENTS

There is only one thing better than Pop Tarts and that is a homemade Pop Tart. I made blueberry and

INGREDIENTS

Pastry
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)

Cinnamon Filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons flour
1 large egg, to brush on pastry before filling

Blueberry Jam Filling
8 ounces jam
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

DIRECTIONS

To make cinnamon filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

To make jam filling: Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool.

For the pastry, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with a pastry blender until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it.  Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything it stays together.  If needed, knead briefly on a floured counter.

Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a smooth rectangle.

To assemble the tarts, place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″.  Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cut each piece of dough into thirds to form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.

Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.

Gently place the tarts on a lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart a few times with a fork so steam can escape. Refrigerate the tarts for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the tarts from the fridge, and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Cool in pan on rack and glaze or frost as you like.

I worked with this recipe.

It is a thing of beauty.

INGREDIENTS

Poached Pears:
3 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
3 ripe but firm pears, preferably Bosc, peeled, quartered and cored
Peel of 1 orange, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
1/2 vanilla bean

Pie Crust:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 Tbs. very cold water

Custard:
1 egg
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. triple sec
Pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

Sometimes you go down a path with baking and it takes you to wonderful places.

INGREDIENTS

Quick Bread:
2eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
5 ounces shredded coconut
6 tablespoons butter melted and browned

Curd:
1/2 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350° F. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Add sugar and coconut, and stir to mix. Make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture. Gradually mix with dry ingredients until just combined. Add melted and browned butter, and stir until smooth. Try not to over-mix.

Line an 8 1/2- by 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.  Pour batter into pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 60-75 minutes.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, remove bread from pan, and finish cooling on a rack.

While bread is cooking, make curd by adding eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest to saucepan over medium heat.  Constantly whisking, add pieces of butter to melt into mixture.  Keep whisking until mixture begins to thicken. This will take about 8 minutes.  Transfer to bowl and refrigerate for one hour.  Serve on coconut bread.