Banana Piloncillo Ice Cream with Kahlúa

Objective
To make banana ice cream. I came across this recipe while flipping through cookbooks over the holidays. At first, I thought "Banana ice cream? Gross." The more I thought about it, the more I thought I had to try it. Plus, since I love Mexican food so much, I was super excited to use piloncillo (silly me). Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking to fit in a household blender and ice cream maker.

Materials
3 tablespoons water
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 cup piloncillo, grated*
6 bananas, extremely ripe, peeled, then frozen (or more if you want to make it chunky)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (you may not need it all)
2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
Kahlúa (optional)

*Piloncillo (also called panela) is a sugar used in Central and South America. It comes in packages with a few brown colored cones of sugar. Look for it in the fresh produce section of your grocery store near the dried chiles. If they don't have it, substitute dark brown sugar, muscovado, or jaggery.

Methods
1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and cinnamon stick. Simmer over medium-low heat until the cinnamon stick is fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add the sugar of choice and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to thicken into a syrup. Remove from heat, remove the cinnamon stick, and cool the syrup (at least to room temperature. I suggest sticking it in the fridge overnight so that everything you add to the ice cream maker will be cold).
2. When ready to make the ice cream, remove the bananas from the freezer and chop well (dime-sized chunks).
3. Add 1/2 cup cream, cooled sugar syrup and a handful of the chopped bananas to your blender. Blend until completely smooth, slowly adding more bananas as your blender can handle them. If the blender starts making funny noises and sounds strained, turn it off, stir the mixture (remove some if needed), add a little more cream and proceed.
4. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes since everything going into the ice cream maker was already cold or frozen. Add the pecans in the last minute of mixing. If you want chunks of banana, chop up another frozen banana (or two) and add them with the pecans.
5. Serve immediately or cover and put in the freezer. For the "adult-version," drizzle your scoop of ice cream with Kahlúa.

Results
Incredibly creamy with a delicious banana flavor.

Discussion and Future Directions
This is the best banana anything I've ever had (excluding banana bread). What is so incredible about this recipe is that it is mostly banana. However, it was a huge pain to make. To get 3/4 cup of grated piloncillo, I stood at the counter grating piloncillo for one hour (not an exaggeration. I've never seen my bicep as big as it was when I was done. It was quite a workout). Truthfully, I'm worried I dulled my Microplane® grater. I want to make this again (because it's delicious), but there has to be a better way. The easiest way would be to use dark brown sugar instead of piloncillo because it's already ready to go. But, the flavor of piloncillo is unique and might be what gives this recipe the extra "umph." The flavor of the syrup reminded me of honey, but thinner (until I refrigerated it and it recrystallized). Anyway, I'd try to hammer the piloncillo cones into chunks (seriously, with hammer) and then dissolve the chunks in simmering water to make the syrup.

The next problem was blending everything together. I reduced the amount of banana and increased the amount of cream from the original recipe because it was like concrete in my blender (my brand new blender overheated in less than 2 minutes). So, follow the instructions and be prepared to turn off, unplug and let your blender cool down when the mixture gets thick.

Then! More troubles! Because the mixture freezes so quickly, and water expands as it freezes, I had an ice cream volcano coming out of my ice cream maker. I love science (obviously) and think volcano experiments are awesome, but not all over my kitchen appliances! So, I reduced the number of bananas in the recipe. Pay close attention as you're freezing the mixture to make sure it will fit (and add your blended mixture slowly). If you need to, freeze it in two batches (don't worry--your ice cream maker will still be cold enough).

Despite the troubles, I would absolutely try making this again (plus, the Kahlúa at the end helped me forget how much of a pain it was to make)! If you don't like pecans, or prefer your ice cream to be smooth, leave them out. It's perfect without or without pecans. If you like your ice cream chunky, add some extra frozen banana chunks at the end. Make it how you like it. The star of this dessert is the ripe banana. In spite of the small quantity of cream compared to most ice creams, it's quite amazing that the texture is so smooth and creamy. The kahlúa adds a nice coffee flavor and makes this the ideal breakfast food (don't judge--somehow I didn't get around to eating breakfast until 4 pm today. I love Saturdays)!

Supplementary Materials

Sweet Potato Fries (Pappy's Style)

Objective
To make sweet potato fries like those at Pappy's Smokehouse. If you've never been to St. Louis, you may not know of Pappy's. If you've been to St. Louis and haven't been to Pappy's, you should probably go back to try their barbecue! I've had Pappy's twice since moving to St. Louis. The first time it was catered, so I not only missed the "whole experience," but I also missed the sweet potato fries. The second time I went on a date and it was absolutely incredible (though we decided that we were in such good moods that about anything would have tasted good). Back to the sweet potato fries! My second experience with Pappy's was much more rewarding because I got to have their coleslaw and sweet potato fries. The fries were small and thin like fast food fries. The outside had a granulated, sweet crunch, but the inside was moist and tender. They weren't overly sweet. The minute I left, I knew I needed more! Adapted from The Art of Doing STUFF.

Materials
1 medium-sized sweet potato, with the ends cut off
1-2 teaspoons cornstarch
olive oil, for drizzling
salt, for sprinkling
dark brown sugar, for sprinkling

Methods
1. Slice the sweet potatoes into medium to small fries (I like mine a little thin but wide so they look flat). Place them in a bowl of water to minimize oxidation until you're ready to use them.
2. Place an oven rack in the center of your oven and place another rack directly below it. On the lower rack, place a seasoned baking stone. Preheat the oven to 425° with the baking stone in it. Give the oven about an hour to preheat and heat the baking stone.
3. Drain the sweet potato fries and give them a squeeze in a paper towel to remove excess water.
4. Place a bit of cornstarch in a large plastic bag. Add the sweet potatoes and shake to lightly coat the potatoes. Transfer the fries to a baking sheet with sides.
5. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and about a teaspoon of dark brown sugar. Stir to coat the fries with oil and seasoning.
6. Bake 15 minutes then remove the fries and baking stone from the oven. Stir, then transfer the fries to the baking stone, leaving behind any excess oil. Return to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or until the fries are just beginning to crisp on the outside.
7. Cool slightly and serve.


Results
These are pretty close to Pappy's! The lack the chunk of particulate that Pappy's has. The outside is crisp and the inside is tender. The flavor is sweet.


Discussion and Future Directions
These are delicious! They are sweet and make the perfect health-conscious dessert. I dipped mine in a Cilantro&Chipotle dipping sauce to make them savory (see Supplementary Materials).The biggest difference was the lack of "crunch." Pappy's sweet potato fries have little granules of what must be some type of sugar on the outside. Next time, I would sprinkle the fries with sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. I can't decide what type of sugar to use, but I'm thinking I would try brown sugar while cooking for the flavor of the caramelized sugar and superfine granulated sugar to sprinkle on after baking. Even without the crunchy sugar, these are close enough for me to be satisfied!

Supplementary Materials

Cilantro&Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Mix equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in chopped cilantro and pureed chipotle in adobo, to taste. Mix well and serve.

Celery Root and Butternut Squash Gratin

Objective
To make a recipe using celery root. Over the holidays, I had dinner at Brasserie V in Madison, Wisconsin. The chef rotates the sides, soups, cheese platters, desserts and aioli for their incredible frites, so you will always be able to try something different. My server had described a celery root slaw to me, but instead brought a vegetable side that he thought they'd run out of. I enjoyed the side but was a little disappointed that I didn't get to try celery root (also known as celeriac). My two big goals for 2012 are to say "yes" more often and to try new things. When I saw celery root at the grocery store, it reminded me of mandrakes from Harry Potter (see fig. 1). I decided I had to buy it and figured I'd find a recipe when I got home. I decided to try celery root and butternut squash gratin. Adapted from CHOW.

Fig. 1: Celery root or celeriac

Materials
Topping:
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence
pinch dried thyme
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 celery root, peeled and sliced in half
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup gruyère cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

Materials
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
2. Melt the butter in a medium sized frying pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Mix the cream and milk in a large bowl. Add the sliced butternut squash and celery root. Mix to coat the vegetables with liquid.
3. Layer half of the squash and celery root in the bottom of the baking dish. Place half of the onions over the squash/celery root. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the rest of the squash/celery root and onions. Pour any remaining cream/milk mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then sprinkle the cheese on top.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the topping. Sprinkle over the cheese.
5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the vegetables are soft. Let sit 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Results
The dish tastes delicious! The celery root cooked more slowly than the butternut squash, so I left it in the oven closer to an hour.

Discussion and Future Directions
Celery root tastes like (wait for it..) celery! When I tried the celery root raw, I was concerned that the flavor would be overpowering in the gratin. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the dish. The herbs and spices complemented each other nicely and added a good flavor to the dish. I was skeptical of adding walnuts to the topping, but it added a nice element of complexity to the topping.

The only complaint I have is that the celery root is much harder than the butternut squash and took longer to cook. Next time, I would make the butternut squash slices thicker than the celery root slices. I cut these by hand, but a mandoline would be a great way to control the thickness of the slices. I have a mandoline, but without a dishwasher, I hate using it! 

I reduced the fat from the original recipe by halving the cream with milk (I used fat free skim milk). To reduce the fat even further, you could try whole milk and see how it turns out. You could certainly leave out the cheese. To change the flavor, you could substitute other root vegetables (but be sure to account for differences in the firmness of the different vegetables). This is a delicious way to make a meal around vegetables!

Supplementary Materials

Blueberry Quickbread with Crème Fraîche

Objective
To use crème fraîche in place of sour cream in quickbread. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about crème fraîche. It's widely popular in Europe, but you don't hear much about it in the United States. It is cultured like sour cream, but closer to 30% butterfat whereas sour cream is only up to about 20% butterfat. The flavor isn't quite as sour as sour cream.The texture of crème fraîche is much thicker than sour cream and the best description I can give is that it's "goopy." For you scientists out there, as I was stirring it, it reminded me of cell lysate, but not as cohesive. Needless to say, I quickly became skeptical. I elected a blueberry muffin recipe because I had fresh blueberries that needed eating and the combination of sour cream and blueberry is popular in baking. Adapted from Doris Greenspan's Baking with Julia.

Materials 

1 ¾ cup cake flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

1 pint fresh blueberries

¾ cup milk

¼ cup crème fraîche (could use full-fat sour cream)

1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temp

1 large egg yolk, at room temp

Methods
1. Preheat the oven to 400° and grease two 8" x 2.75" loaf pans (or muffin tins if you prefer).
2. Sift the dry ingredients three times. Use two tablespoons of the flour mixture to coat the blueberries and set the blueberries and flour mixture aside. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and crème fraîche and set aside.
3. Cream the butter on medium speed until it is pale (I used speed 3 or 4 on my mixer and it took just under 3 minutes).
4. Add the sugar and continue to beat another 3 minutes.
5. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk/crème fraîche mixture and fold into the batter with a spatula until just incorporated. Repeat with the other half.
7. Gently fold in the blueberries.
8. Divide the batter evenly between prepared loaf pans (or muffin tins). Bake 10 minutes, or until the tops are just starting to brown, reduce the oven temperature to 350°, tent the loaves with foil, and continue baking another 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (less time for muffins).
9. Cool on a cooling rack 10 to 15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature.

Results
The bread is light and flimsy. All of the blueberries sunk to the bottom. The top is nicely browned. The texture is light. The flavor is rich, but not sweet.

Conclusions and Future Directions
The first two things I ever made from scratch were chocolate chip cookies and banana bread. These were my favorite baked goods growing up. Both are sweet, but not rich. This recipe for blueberry quickbread is rich, but not sweet. Because I was expecting something much sweeter, I'm hesitant to say that I didn't like the bread. It's simply not what I expected. The use of cake flour had me dreaming of a sweet, rich pound cake sprinkled with blueberries for a little tang. If that's what you're looking for, the richness is there, but increase the amount of sugar. I think the addition of brown sugar could do wonders!

That being said, the bread probably would have been sweet enough if the blueberries hadn't all sunk to the bottom. If they had been evenly distributed, it would have added sugar to each bite. The purpose of coating the blueberries with the flour mixture was to reduce sinking. It simply didn't work. I've read that some people swear by frozen berries coated in flour instead of fresh berries. The argument that ice is less dense and more buoyant doesn't work here--it's a weight thing. This batter is really light and airy. I think the batter simply can't withstand the weight of the berries. Making muffins might be the way to go because the shorter baking time might catch the berries in their fall so a few of them will be incorporated.

But, back to the point: crème fraîche! The point of adding sour cream or crème fraîche is moisture. These loaves are incredibly moist and tender, so the crème fraîche did its job! I don't think there will be a next time for this blueberry quickbread. Quickbreads and muffins with fruit always seem to disappoint me, unless that fruit is banana. I have 12 or so bananas sitting to ripen for an ice cream recipe I'm planning to make with a Mexican sugar called piloncillo. I think I'll use the extra bananas next weekend to give crème fraîche it's chance to shine in banana bread!

Supplementary Materials

Raspberry Sherbet with Berries and Chambord

Objective
To use the raspberry sherbet in my freezer to make a delightful adult dessert. I made the raspberry sherbet this fall when the raspberries in my local grocery store were essentially "on clearance." This week, my fridge is full of cherries and blueberries that I got on sale. As I was settling in for the evening with a movie, instead of a glass of wine, I wanted something sweet but refreshing. My mind immediately settled on black raspberry liqueur, but I didn't want a drink. Remembering the cherries and blueberries in the fridge and the raspberry sherbet in the freezer that wasn't getting any fresher, I got a vision of a very colorful dessert full of berries. Sherbet recipe was adapted from Simply Cooking and Joy of Baking.

Hypothesis: the flavor of the alcohol will be masked by the sherbet and the dessert will be fresh and tangy.

Materials
For sherbet:
4 cups (or 1 pound) of fresh raspberries, washed
2 cups whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar (or more to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice*

*Note: some people like to add a little alcohol (about 2 teaspoons) to their frozen yogurt and sorbets to prevent it from becoming a block of ice. Instead of (or in addition to) fresh squeezed lemon juice, you could try adding a bit of lemon vodka or lemoncello in the last minute or two of the freezing process to get the tang of the lemon with the added bonus of reducing ice formation in your sherbet.

For dessert:
2 scoops of raspberry sherbet
10 fresh blueberries
5 fresh cherries, pitted
2 oz (or more if you're not a lightweight like me) black raspberry liqueur (like Chambord)

Methods
For sherbet:
1. In a blender or food processor, puree the berries, milk and sugar until smooth. Taste the mixture and make sure that it is sweet enough. If it's too tart, add more sugar to taste.
2. To remove the seeds, strain the mixture into a large bowl (I recommend a batter bowl or measuring cup that holds 4+ cups and has a pour-spout). This step is tough. I used a fine mesh strainer and a spatula and it took me around 2 hours and I stained my entire kitchen magenta. Truthfully, at this step I swore I would never use raspberries to make anything ever again unless I could buy them seedless. What I suggest is squeezing the mixture through cheesecloth or a spice bag or something similar, in small batches, and washing the seeds out of the cloth before starting the next batch.
3. Stir in the lemon juice.
4. Cover and place in the fridge overnight (this will facilitate the freezing process).
5. Freeze per the directions of your ice cream maker. If you do not have an ice cream maker, place in a covered bowl in the the freezer and stir occasionally until the mixture freezes.
6. Store in a covered bowl in the freezer.

For dessert:
1. Place two small scoops of sherbet in a bowl.
2. Add blueberries and cherries that have been cut in half and pitted.
3. Drizzle black raspberry liqueur over the top and stir to mix.

Results
The dessert was colorful, tangy and refreshing. The flavors worked well together and the taste of the alcohol was not at all noticable.

Discussion and Future Directions
This dessert was everything I'd hoped it would be, and more. It was the perfect way to relax, though the liqueur alone might have been secret! Lighter in calories than ice cream, sherbet is more refreshing. This dessert could easily be made with whatever type of berries you have on hand, keeping in mind that blackberries and raspberries would have seeds to detract from the smooth texture of the dessert.

For this recipe I used Chambord liqueur, which as first introduced to me at the Mariner's Inn in a sauce served with roast duck. I later used it to make incredible butter cream frosting for brownies. I made a drink with cream and Chambord over ice which was delicious. It's not cheap, but I think it's worth it for its versatility. Plus, in my opinion, liqueurs that are made with real berries as opposed to "berry-flavored liqueurs" taste much better and mask the alcohol a lot more.

This dessert could absolutely be made with store-bought raspberry sherbet. If you don't have an ice cream maker or lack patience, I would actually recommend using store-bought raspberry sherbet. However, if you ever find yourself with more raspberries than you know what to do with, give the sherbet recipe a try. It's delicious and, in my opinion, tastes a lot truer than store-bought. Plus, it's on its fifth month in my freezer and still tastes as good as it did when it was fresh.

Supplementary Materials

Mexican Rice and Bean Salad

Objective
To make a Mexican-inspired side dish to go along with stuffed poblanos. As an undergraduate, I studied abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico. My first few nights in Mexico were rough. My stomach was doing somersaults and I could hardly eat. My Señora couldn't quite get the hang of "gluten-free." While my roommate ate delicious pastries for breakfast, I choked down eggs and mango, both of which I hated. I can best describe the smell of Guanajuato as a combination of exhaust, sewerage, and corn tortillas. The last piece is what made Mexico such a great place to be gluten-free. I ate a lot of corn and a lot of rice. Ever since, Mexican food has been a staple in my diet and I couldn't have been more excited when "Taqueria Guanajuato" opened in Madison, WI with pictures of Plaza de la Paz and other familiar places. I believe this is the first recipe I've noted on my blog as gluten free (though I went back and tagged a few others). From here on out, I hope to be better at remembering my friends who are gluten-free! Recipe adapted from  Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Mexican edition.

Hypothesis: This salad will be a little zippy with the onion and jalapeño but refreshing with the vinegar and lime juice.

Materials
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen peas
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Methods
1. Bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
2. When the rice is fully cooked, move to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. Eat as is or chill before serving.

Results
This salad looks beautiful! The flavor is light and not overpowering.

Discussion and Future Directions
This salad made a great side dish for a Mexican entree and also made a great salad for lunch. I actually preferred the salad closer to room temperature than cold. I think that chilled, it wasn't quite as flavorful (sort of like red wine--different temperatures effect the smell and taste of your food/wine. Aromatic compounds won't be as strong if the food is colder, and the vinegar may become more prominent). I used very conservative amounts of salt and pepper, so I encourage you to continue adding more to taste.

One thing that disappointed me was that the jalapeño flavor really gets lost in the dish and there is no "zip" or heat. I de-seeded and de-veined the jalapeños which dramatically decreased the heat of the peppers (biting into seeds wouldn't be good because the texture contrast with the soft foods would be kind of weird). If I were to make it again and want some heat, I would probably use serrano peppers instead of jalapeño peppers. This makes a lot of food and since it doesn't need to be kept warm, would make a great dish for a potluck!

Supplementary Materials

Kourabiedes (Greek Cookies with Brandy)

Objective
To make my grandma's recipe for Greek cookies. Many recipes for Kourabiedes use ground almonds. Another similar recipe adds cloves for flavor. I remember these cookies from Christmas Eve when I was a child, because my grandma wouldn't let me eat them. However, when I was old enough to dare to disobey, they quickly became a favorite!

Hypothesis: This recipe will make small, light, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.

Materials
1 pound unsalted butter (2 cups or 4 sticks)
2/3 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup orange juice
4 cups all-purpose flour
brandy

Methods
1. Preheat the oven to 300°.
2. Cream the butter and sugar for 15 minutes.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla. When fully incorporated, add powdered sugar and orange juice. Finally, add the flour and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Drop by teaspoon into powdered sugar, shape into a ball and flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 25 minutes. Immediately brush tops lightly with brandy, then move onto waxed paper coated with powdered sugar and sift with more powdered sugar.
6. Let cool and store in a plastic bag for 24 hours before serving.

Results
My cookies took over 25 minutes to bake (I wanted them to be firm when I pulled them out of the oven) because I made them too big. The cookies are light and fluffy and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth! The flavor was excellent. They were best from 24-48 hours, but were still good for the next week and a half.

Discussion and Future Directions
This recipe makes a lot of cookies. I cannot give a good estimate because I made mine too big. Even halving the recipe, I had at least two full cookie sheets (far over 2 dozen). However, they are delicious and there was no trouble making them disappear. Next time I make these, I may try adding a bit of ground cloves just to see what it does to the recipe. These were great as holiday cookies and would be a great cookie to gift (for adults only--although there is such a small amount of alcohol per cookie that anyone could really eat them)!

Candied Orange Toasting Bread

Objective
To make a bread similar to Craquelin from Joanne Chang's cookbook Flour. Instead of making individual pastries, make a candied orange brioche loaf. Reduced the amount of butter in the brioche to make it a lighter and more airy product. As delicious as the original recipe is, I found it a bit too dense, which I think could be due to the amount of fat in the dough. The candied orange will give the brioche a little something extra.

Hypothesis: I will find the dough tasty in spite of the butter reduction and the texture of the dough will be light. The candied orange will lend the bread a sweet and refreshing citrus flavor.

Materials
For Brioche:
150 g starter* (flour, water and yeast), see supplementary materials for direction
230 g all-purpose flour plus additional to moderate texture
340 g bread flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
1/4 cup warm water (110-120°)
2 T warm water plus 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (let sit a few minutes before adding)
6 eggs
1 cup butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoon size chunks
*could be omitted but increase the water to 1/2 cup and increasing the all-purpose flour by about 1 cup

For Candied Orange:
2 cups water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 navel orange


Methods
1. Place starter, all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, salt, warm water, yeast mixture and 5 eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Beat on low until the flour is completely hydrated and incorporated into the dough. This will require occasional stopping to scrape the flour at the edge of the bowl into the mass. Once the dough has come together, beat on low for another 3 to 4 minutes.
2. On low speed, add the butter piece by piece. Continue mixing 10 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. 
3. Once the butter is incorporated, beat on medium-low speed for another 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and a bit shiny. Pull on the dough to see if it is a firm mass. If it isn't, add more all-purpose flour until when you tug on the dough, it doesn't break off (I added about 3/4 of a cup more flour). Once you get the correct toughness, beat on medium for a few more minutes.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl. Weigh, and separate into 2 even chunks (my dough gave two 800 gram pieces). Knead each chunk into a ball, making sure the dough is smooth and there are no chunky spots.
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate (6 hours to overnight). This will help the butter firm up and aid in shaping of the dough.
 6. Meanwhile, prepare the candied oranges. Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve. Slice off the two ends of the navel orange and slice the orange into small rings (about 1/4" thick). Simmer on low until the oranges are translucent and the liquid forms a thick syrup. On a gas stove, this may take 2-3 hours. On an electric stove, this may take closer to 4. Cover and cool. Can be stored in the fridge prior to use.
7. To prepare the bread, remove a chunk of dough from the fridge (the other can be used for loaf of simple brioche or made into another pastry (check out Joanne Chang's cookbook for delicious ideas). Roll the dough into a rectangle 9 inches by as long as you can make it the other direction!
8. Remove the candied orange from the syrup and chop the oranges. Spread the oranges over the top of the dough. Starting from one of the short ends, roll the dough into a log. place in a greased 9x5 inch pan. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel.
9. Put loaf in a cold oven with a large pot of hot water (or, fill a batter bowl with water and microwave it 5-10 minutes and put that in the oven with the loaf). Sit 4-5 hours or until the dough is beginning to feel softer and looks puffier. Because of the quantity of butter, the dough won't raise much. Gently remove from the oven and set aside.
10. Preheat the oven to 350°. 
11. When the oven has preheated, brush the top of the loaf with a beaten egg. Bake 40-55 minutes or until a kitchen thermometer in the middle of the loaves reads 190°. If the bread begins to brown too early, tent the loaf with foil.
12. When the bread is done baking, remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Eat immediately or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Results
The smell from the oven was quite heavenly. The top of the bread is shiny (I sprinkled it with a little sugar while baking, so the shine isn't so glaring). The crust has a rich color and I did have to tent it with foil about 25 minutes into baking to prevent it from burning. The bread is dense but the candied orange is delicious.

Discussion and Future Directions
To begin, Joanne Chang's cookbook Flour is really fun. From homemade Oreos and Poptarts to brioche and a lemon raspberry cake that would be well suited for a wedding, it is a great cookbook for a beginner who is ready to take their baking to the next level! I have yet to tackle the Oreos or Poptarts (my friend Andrea simply cannot believe it's possible, so I will definitely have to show her that it is), but have enjoyed all of the pastries I've made so far as well as the Red Velvet Cake (it may have been the wine I was drinking while baking or the type of cocoa I used, but whatever it was, mine didn't turn out red. So, I termed it "break-up cake" and used it to cheer myself up. Note: the cake is not to be confused "Drown Your Sorrows in Cake" Cake but the frosting is the same.)

The flavor of this bread is good. It is dense and moist, which reminds me more of a cinnamon swirl toasting bread rather than a brioche. I was going for something with less calories than brioche, so I certainly sacrificed the soft, supple texture. Next time I would probably skip the starter (I only used it because I had it and wanted to use it up). Even with the little rise after 5 hours and the rise in the oven, the bread was still quite dense. The best remedy for this would be to use the Brioche recipe in Joanne Chang's cookbook or another brioche recipe you've had luck with (I've also used and enjoyed King Arthur Flour's Brioche recipe). Definitely don't try to skip on the calories! It's supposed to be luxurious, and in this case, the luxury comes fat calories!!

Beyond my criticism of the bread, the flavor was great. I was nervous that the candied orange might be too tough--particularly the orange peel. That simply wasn't so! It was delicious and really added something special to the bread. Next time I have the time for pastries, I'd love to try it again. The candied orange is time consuming in that you have to tend to the stove and stir every 15 minutes or so for up to 3 or 4 hours. If you're home anyway, don't let that be a deterrent! This would be a great treat for someone you know fighting scurvy (scientist joke--it was a long semester), or anyone who loves citrus!


Supplementary Materials

Starter Dough
1 cup all-purpose flour (plus more)
1 1/2 cups water, warm
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Mix together and let sit on the counter for up to 8 hours. It should start to smell yeasty and get bubbly. Stir in enough flour to make the starter a loose dough (half cup to a cup). Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days before using. This starter can be maintained by saving a piece of dough, adding more water and flour and repeating the process.

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Objective
To make cookies with vanilla beans instead of vanilla extract. In an effort to use up the butter I'd gotten for winter break baking, I decided to make cookies before heading home. With a jar full of vanilla beans I'd purchased earlier in the trip, I knew I wanted to use them. Recipe adapted from Cafe Johnsonia: Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies.

Hypothesis: vanilla beans will give the cookies a delightful vanilla flavor and make for a beautifully speckled cookie.

Materials
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (which would be 3/4 stick), softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 vanilla bean pod (consider adding up to 1/2 teaspoon vanilla for more flavor)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sugar (vanilla sugar, sanding sugar, coarse sugar, colored sugar)

Methods
1. Cream the butter and sugar until light in color and texture.
2. Add the egg, beating until fully incorporated.
3. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl and mix well. *Save the pod for flavoring liquor or sugar! To make vanilla sugar, stick the pod in 1/2-1 cup of sugar and sit for a week or so.
4. Mix together the dry ingredients and slowly add them to wet ingredients.
5. When the dough is well mixed, shape it into a ball, flatten it, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until it is firm (I waited 30 minutes. Could wait longer but I find that the dough is too firm to roll-out if I wait any longer).
6. Shortly before baking, preheat the oven to 400°.
7. Roll the chilled dough out to about 1/8" or 1/4" thick (I'm a terrible judge of distance, so I have no idea how thick or thin mine were) and cut with 1 1/2" to 2" cookie cutters.
8. Bake until the edges are starting to brown, probably around 6-8 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven. If you don't plan to frost them, sprinkle the warm tops with sugar (I used vanilla sugar). Move to a wire rack to cool completely. If you want to frost them, see Supplementary Materials for frosting recipe.

Results
The cookies are quite lovely sprinkled with vanilla beans, but not overly flavorful. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies from 1-1/2" cookie cutters (keeping in mind some of the dough went straight to my belly without baking).

Discussion and Future Directions
I'm not a sugar cookie lover. That comes with a caveat: My favorite gluten-free cookies are the Iced Cut-out Cookies from Molly's Gluten Free Bakery in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. I was on a gluten free diet for 3 1/2 years and just over a year ago, went back to eating gluten (and as you can see from my blog--back to baking every glutenous goody I can find a recipe for). I haven't tried Molly's gluten-free cookies since returning to my glutenous lifestyle, but they have a great flavor and a wonderful light texture (which makes them a bit crumbly to eat). I would love to recreate their cookie (with or without gluten), they're that good!

This cookie is fairly dense. You can keep them soft by rolling thicker and baking lessor crisp them up by rolling them thinner and baking them a bit longer. I tried both and liked them both ways. Because I prefer a melt-in-your-mouth, light and airy sugar cookie, I might try this again using half granulated sugar, half powdered sugar, though that might require a bit of additional moisture which could be achieved by adding some oil.

A sugar cookie should be, well, sugary. Without frosting, they were not quite sweet enough for me, even with the sugar on top. If I were to make them again, I would add up to 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in addition to the vanilla bean seeds. I think the vanilla bean flavor is most intense when the seeds are cooked in liquid, for example in custard or pastry cream. Baking didn't quite give the vanilla flavor I was looking for. I made the frosting to sweeten the cookie up a bit and give it some additional flavor. Because I ended up frosting them, I wish I'd put the vanilla bean seeds in the frosting instead of the dough for the beauty of the seeds. I'm glad I tried these and even if they weren't quite what I was hoping for, they're disappearing quickly!


Supplementary Materials

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 Tablespoon cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


In a small bowl, beat with a hand-mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in food coloring if desired. Spread onto cooled cookies.

Ruby Cake with Raspberry and Chocolate Filling

Objective
To bake a cake to serve to one of my best friends, Kayla. I am home for the holidays and trying to catch up with my friends who are still in Madison. Due to a cold, I had to cancel my original date with Kayla, who had requested "coffee cake with the crumbly topping." To make up for it, I decided to make a more luxurious cake than your ordinary cinnamon coffee cake, and adapted the recipe for "Ruby Cake" from Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands to Yours. The original recipe without modifications can be found here. I've always been afraid of recipes that use jams or preserves because I never enjoyed them on toast. This was my first experience using jam in baking.

Hypothesis: The raspberry jam filling will be disappointing and I will wish I had used a recipe with fresh raspberries.

Materials
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2 1/4 cups superfine sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Methods
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a bundt pan or fluted tube pan.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add in the sugar followed by the vanilla and continue to beat until it is light in color and texture. Slowly add the eggs and mix until fully incorporated. 
4. Turn to low speed and alternatively add the flour and sour cream in three additions. With the last addition of sour cream, add the half-and-half. Continue mixing until combined.
5. Put half of the batter in a large plastic bag. Cut one of the corners and pipe the batter into a thick ring in the bottom of the pan, followed by a small and large ring along the inner and outer rings of the pan. This should make a furrow for the filling. If it doesn't seem deep enough, use a spoon to make it larger.
6. If the jam is smooth, spoon it evenly into the furrow. If the jam is thick, put the jam into a plastic bag and trim the corner off. Pipe the jam into the furrow created by the batter. Squeezing the jam out of the bag will help to soften it. Make sure that the jam is contained within the batter and that none of the jam touches the pan.
7. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the jam.
8. Spoon the remaining batter over the top of the filling. Gently smooth the batter to form an even layer and completely seal the filling into the batter. Use a knife to gently swirl the filling through the cake (or don't).
9. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes clean out of the center of the cake.
10. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then flip onto a rack to cool completely.
11. Sprinkle with powdered sugar prior to slicing and serving.

Results
The cake is moist and delicious. The buttery flavor shines through and the raspberry and chocolate help cut the richness of the cake.

Discussion and Future Directions
This cake was so delicious that after my original coffee date, I invited my next-door-neighbor over for cake and coffee! When Kayla requested a coffee cake with streusel topping and berries, I stumbled upon this recipe for Almond Berry Coffee Cake. However, since I had borrowed a copy of Sarabeth's Bakery cookbook from the library, I opted for her recipe. Next time, it would be fun to try Sarabeth's batter with blackberry jam and raspberries for filling and a streusel top instead of raspberry jam and chocolate filling.

Contrary to my hypothesis, I was pleasantly surprised by the raspberry filling. I did not find myself wishing that I'd used fresh raspberries instead of jam. Chocolate and raspberries are a match made in heaven. The smooth, creamy filling created by the jam and chocolate was quite lovely in a dense, rich cake such as this one. The raspberry flavor was almost refreshing. The jam I used was Koepsel's Seedless Red Raspberry Jam from Door County, Wisconsin. I recommend using seedless jam because biting into raspberry seeds would ruin the textural experience.

The original recipe called for full-fat sour cream, which I never buy. Since I didn't want to go to the grocery store, I substituted low-fat sour cream but reduced the amount slightly and added half-and-half to increase the fat content in the cake. The cake was rich and moist enough that simply adding 1 1/2 cups of low-fat sour cream would have been just fine for those counting calories (this is sort of a joke as I would never make this dessert for anyone who is dieting).

The butter flavor and the filling are what makes this cake delicious. The outside of the cake formed a thin, dark crust that was tasty, but as I'm not a "crust person," I was smitten with the cakey center. It would be fun to experiment with new fillings. However, I wouldn't experiment much with the batter because I know it's delicious and if I try to fix what isn't broken I might end up with something I don't like as well. This is a great recipe. While it is very rich, it is perfect for breakfast. I recommend calling up your best friend and inviting him or her over for coffee and this delicious "Ruby Cake." It is sure to please!