Apple Cinnamon Crunch Cake

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This Apple Cinnamon Crunch cake is the best thing I have baked all year. The inspiration for this cake came from Heather over at curlygirlkitchen. She made a Coffee Layer Cake. To make the cake design more special, she baked the top layer in a Bundt pan. The simple, bare look of the naked cake emphasizes the beauty of its layers. Such a striking and unique presentation.

Crafting Texture: Apple Cinnamon Crunch Cake

What makes this Apple Cinnamon Crunch Cake so outstanding is all the different textures of the component parts.

  • We start with three dense, apple-filled layers of cake. It’s a misconception that all cakes are meant to be light and fluffy. Sometimes a dense, moist cake, with a melting texture is a good thing.
  • Silky cinnamon Swiss meringue buttercream creates a luxurious contrast. It holds the layers together while adding a smooth, spiced sweetness.
  • The texture party continues with a gingersnap-pecan crumble that delivers an amazing crunch.
  • Each layer is brushed with melted butter and then showered with glittering combination of cinnamon and sugar.
  • Finally, a drizzle of tart apple cider caramel sauce adds just the right amount of tangy brightness. It balances the richness of the buttercream and ties all the flavours together.

Keys to Success:

  • Grease the pans very well. I use a homemade mixture of equal parts flour, vegetable shortening and vegetable oil. It keeps in the fridge forever.
  • If your buttercream looks like it is splitting or not coming together, be patient. Keep beating it at high speed until it becomes silky.
  • Simplify your life. Prepare the buttercream, ginger-pecan crumble, cinnamon-sugar coating, and apple cider caramel a few days before baking the cake.

Apple Cinnamon Crunch Cake

This delicious apple spice cake has all your favourite fall flavours. It's layered with a cinnamon Swiss meringue buttercream, a ginger crunch crumble and topped with an Apple Cider Caramel drizzle.
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Servings 16 servings
Calories 1088 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 offset spatula
  • 2 8" round cake pans
  • 1 8" Bundt pan
  • 1 candy thermometer
  • 1 French Star Tip (Ateco 867) or Open Star Tip (Ateco 829)
  • 1 Plain round tip, with 1/2 inch opening
  • 1 stand mixer

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 540 grams all-purpose flour
  • 445 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1.5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt
  • 5 large eggs
  • 225 grams vegetable oil
  • 84 grams full fat sour cream (14%MF)
  • 1.5 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 3 large Apples, (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into 1/8 inch dice

Ginger Crunch

  • 200 grams ginger snap cookies, any store bought cookies are fine
  • 30 grams pecan halves
  • 35 grams malted milk powder
  • 25 grams granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/4 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt
  • 85 grams unsalted butter, melted

Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • 300 grams egg whites
  • 495 grams gramulated sugar
  • 680 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes removed from fridge 30 minutes before making buttercream
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/8 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Apple Cider Caramel Drizzle

  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 107 grams light brown sugar
  • 7 grams corn syrup
  • 28 grams unsalted butter

Assembly

  • 113 grams unsalted butter, melted
  • 98 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Make cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare baking pans. Grease the bottom and sides of two 8" round cake pans and one 8" round Bundt pan with "cake release", a homemade mixture of equal parts vegetable oil, flour and vegetable shortening. Recipe for cake release is also in this blog post. It really works well for Bundt pans.
  • In a large bowl, sift or whisk, together flour, sugar, spices, baking soda and salt and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk eggs. Add oil, sour cream and vanilla, whisk for another 30 seconds. Pour liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a sturdy wooden spoon, mix until all the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Add diced apples and mix just until they are evenly blended into batter. It will seem like there are way too many apples, but trust the process. This cake is perfect.
     
  • Divide batter evenly between the 3 cake pans. If you want your layers to be perfectly equal, weigh the batter so you can divide it exactly. Bake cakes for 23-25 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted into the center, comes out dry, or an instant read thermometer, inserted into center of cake reads 210°F. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn cake out of pans and allow them to cool completely on the wire rack.
     
  • Make Ginger Crunch: Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place gingersnap cookies and pecans in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to roll over the bag to finely crush cookies and nuts. Place crushed cookies and nuts into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add malted milk powder, sugar and salt and mix to combine everything. Pour melted butter over the crumb mixture and stir until clumps form. Scatter clumps on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 12-14 minutes, until fragrant and browned. Let cool completely. Break up into small clusters.
  • Make Buttercream: In a medium saucepan, bring an inch or two of water to a simmer. Place egg whites and sugar in a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Place over simmering water and whisk gently until mixture registers 160°F on a candy or instant read thermometer. Immediately pour egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
  • Using the whisk attachment, mix on medium high speed until the egg whites have doubled in volume, hold medium peaks and have cooled to room temperature, about 10-12 minutes. The best way to gauge this by putting the inside of your wrist to the outside of the bowl. It's more accurate than your hands. Switch from the whisk to the paddle attachment.
  • Turn the mixer to medium low speed and slowly add butter, a few cubes at a time, increasing the speed to medium high after each addition and beating until the butter is fully incorporated before adding more. Resist the temptation to dump all the butter in at once. Be patient. Once all the butter has been added, continue to beat on medium-high until buttercream is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Add vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon and beat at medium speed for an additional minute. Buttercream is ready to use immediately or can be stored in an airtight container in fridge for 1 week or freezer for 3 months. Bring to room temperature and re-whisk in mixer until smooth before using.
     
  • Make caramel: Place apple cider in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low and simmer until cider is reduced to ½ cup. Add brown sugar and corn syrup and increase heat to high. Continue cooking until caramel reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, stir in butter and transfer to a heatproof container and set aside to cool while you assemble the cake.
     
  •  Assemble cake: Mix sugar and cinnamon together to make cinnamon sugar. Brush the sides of both 8" cakes with melted butter and then coat them with cinnamon sugar. Brush top of Bundt cake with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.
  • Place 1/3 of Buttercream into disposable pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain round tip. Place remaining buttercream into a disposable pastry bag fitted with either an Ateco French Star Tip #867 or Ateco Open Star Tip #829.
  • Place a small dollop of the buttercream on a cake plate or serving platter. Lay down one 8 inch cake layer and press gently to adhere it to plate so it does not slide around when assembling cake. Use the piping bag with the plain tip and pipe a border around the edge. Use the offset spatula to smooth icing into a thin layer. Spread out half the ginger crunch into an even compact layer. Use the piping bag with the star tip to pipe a layer of stars over the surface of the crunch. Top with second layer and repeat with buttercream and ginger crunch. Top with Bundt layer.
  • Drizzle apple caramel sauce around the edge of the cake. You can use a spoon or put caramel sauce into squeeze bottle.  Use your offset spatula to encourage it to drip over sides of cake. Chill cake until ready to serve. It can be made a day ahead.

Notes

Makes one 8” round cake (3 layers). You will need two 8” cake pans, a Bundt pan measuring about 8-9 inches (8-10 cup capacity), candy thermometer and an offset spatula. 
Apple cake recipe adapted from The Preppy Baker’s Apple Spice Cake. Caramel drizzle recipe from Tessa Huff’s book, “Layered”. The crunch recipe is from Caroline Wright’s book, “Cake Magic”.

Nutrition

Calories: 1088kcalCarbohydrates: 120gProtein: 10gFat: 66gSaturated Fat: 33gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 574mgPotassium: 256mgFiber: 3gSugar: 83gVitamin A: 1566IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 3mg
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Cake Release

This recipe comes from livforcake. Use this mixture to prepare pans for cake baking. Cakes release so easily. It is especially effective for Bundt pans. Keep leftover mixture in airtight container in fridge. It will keep for 6 months.
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Ingredients
  

  • 70 grams all-purpose flour
  • 98 grams vegetable oil
  • 98 grams vegetable shortening

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk or electric mixer to combine until smooth and creamy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Use a pastry brush to liberally apply to pan for baking.
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Pomegranate Chicken

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This pomegranate chicken dish features succulent tender thighs submerged in a tangy pomegranate and tomato sauce. I first shared this recipe way back in 2011, and it’s stood the test of time. A classic, just as delicious now as it was 13 years ago. It’s perfect for family meals, but fancy enough to serve for entertaining. A true multi-tasker.

I love the forgiveness of chicken thighs, almost impossible to overcook. They must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. They become even more tender once they reach 195°F. This happens because the collagen in the protein continues to break down the longer they cook. You can use skinless boneless thighs, or bone-in skin-on thighs if you prefer. Cooking time will be a bit longer with bone-in.

Here is photo of Pomegranate Chicken from when I first blogged about it 2011. I love a good makeover! Happy to say my photography skills have improved.

Keys to Success for Pomegranate Chicken:

  • If using skin on thighs, you need to remove some of the fat rendered from the skin first. Do this before sautéing the onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Otherwise, the dish will be too greasy.
  • Remove seeds and white ribs of jalapeno if you prefer a milder dish.
  • If the onions start to burn while sautéing, just add a splash of water to the pan. No need to add any more fat.
  • Don’t leave out the pomegranate molasses. It’s only 3 Tablespoons, but it adds a real depth of flavour. Most supermarkets carry it, or it can be ordered online.
  • The fresh pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios added for garnish add a great finishing texture to the dish.

Serve Pomegranate Chicken with rice or some crusty bread to soak up all that sweet and tangy sauce.

Pomegranate Chicken

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Servings 6 servings
Calories 272 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 chicken thighs either bone-in, skin-on or boneless skinless, your choice
  • 1.5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 medium onions diced into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed in garlic press or finely minced
  • 1 small jalapeno seeded, and finely minced
  • 3 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 1 28 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes

Garnish

  • 1 small pomegranate, seeded
  • 1/4 cup Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1/8 cup shelled pistachios toasted and coarsely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with salt, paprika and pepper. Heat a large 12-inch skillet, (stainless steel or enamelled cast iron, like a Le Creuset, is ideal for this) set over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces, and cook until chicken is brown, about 5 minutes per side.
  • Remove chicken pieces to a platter and set aside. If you used skin-on thighs, you might want to remove some of the fat that was rendered while browning. Leave about 1-2 tablespoons of fat in pan for cooking onions garlic, and jalapeno. If you used boneless skinless thighs, you might want to add about 1 tablespoon olive oil. In the same skillet, add onions, garlic and jalapeno and cook for about 3 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. If the onions start to burn, add about ¼ cup water.   
  • Drain tomatoes and reserve juice. Coarsely chop tomatoes. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato juice and pomegranate concentrate to pan with the onions. Place chicken pieces on top of onion and tomato mixture. Bring mixture to a boil.  Turn heat down to simmer, cover skillet and cook for another 40 minutes for boneless skinless thighs, or 50 minutes for bone-in thighs, until chicken is done. If you like to do an instant read thermometer check, (be careful you don't hit the bone) the temperature should register at least 165°F, but you can cook chicken thighs up to an internal temperature of 195°F. They will become even more tender at this higher temperature.
  • Remove thighs from pan and set aside. Bring sauce in pan to medium heat and simmer, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes to let the sauce thicken and reduce a bit. Add chicken back to pan.
  • Scatter fresh pomegranate seeds, parsley and chopped pistachios on top of chicken and serve.

Notes

This can be made with either bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The cooking time will be a bit longer with bone in thighs. 

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 31gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 721mgPotassium: 594mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 449IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
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Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with Sweet Crumble Topped Challah

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Round Challah for Rosh Hashanah is topped with a sweet crumble topping.

It’s round challah season people! Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with this Sweet Crumble Topped Challah. It is traditional to shape challah into a circle for the Jewish New Year. A round challah has no end, symbolizing our wish for a year in which life and blessings continue without end. This round beauty also incorporates a sweet crumble topping, symbolizing our desire for a sweet new year. This year, more than ever, we need some sweetness.

The shaping of this round Sweet crumble Topped Challah looks complicated, but it’s actually one of the simpler braids I have tried. I learned how to do it from @challahprince over on Instagram. He created it with a sesame seed topping. I swapped out my crumble topping. Flour, brown sugar, turbinado sugar for extra crunch and butter come together to form the topping. Feel free to use a plant based butter if you want to keep it dairy free.

Check out the video to see how it all comes together:

Keys to success:

  • Make sure to use a scale when following my recipe. Weigh the dough it and divide by 10 to make equal sized pieces of dough for shaping. Roll each piece into a round ball. Cup your hand and roll quickly over the dough, using your palm, to form a smooth round ball. Combine balls 9 and 10 to make one larger ball. You will have 8 smaller balls and one larger ball.
  • Let the balls of dough rest for about 10 minutes and then roll each ball into a rope. Start with your hands in the center and work your way out to the ends. The finished ropes should be about 14-inches in length and have slightly tapered ends. You will have eight 14-inch ropes. Roll the large ball into a 21-inch length rope.
  • Roll 4 of the 14-inch ropes and the 21-inch rope in egg wash and crumble topping. The remaining 4 ropes will stay uncoated.
  • After the challah has been baking for about 20 minutes, the seams will have opened up a bit, exposing more raw dough. Remove from oven and brush more egg wash on the plain ropes and more crumble topping on the crumble areas, to fill in any newly exposed dough. Continue baking.
  • Egg yolks will give the plain ropes of dough a more golden burnished colour.

Sweet Crumble Topped Round Challah

This braided sweet round challah looks complicated, but it's actually not that difficult to create. The crumble topping takes this challah to the next level and is perfect for ushering in a sweet new year.
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Servings 16 slices
Calories 325 kcal

Ingredients
  

Challah

  • 7 grams traditional active dry yeast or 1 envelope
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup warm water 115°-120°F
  • 425 grams all-purpose flour
  • 125 grams whole wheat flour
  • 112 grams honey
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 50 grams vegetable oil

Topping

  • 113 grams butter or plant-based butter
  • 150 grams brown sugar
  • 50 grams turbinado sugar
  • 140 grams all-purpose flour

Assembly

  • 2 large eggs beaten with 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 large egg yolks

Instructions
 

  • In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast on top and let stand for about 5 minutes, until yeast gets all bubbly.
  • Make the dough in a stand mixer: Place 140 grams all-purpose flour and honey in the stand mixer bowl, fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly to combine. Pour dissolved yeast mixture into machine and mix for about 1 minute. Add egg and oil and mix again for about 30 seconds.  Add remaining 285 grams of all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed for about 1 minute. Switch to dough hook and knead for 8-9 minutes.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for a minute and then form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a large oiled mixing bowl. Turn dough until all sides are coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise at room temperature for about 1½-2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. A good test to see if the dough has risen enough is to insert your finger to a depth of 1 inch and wait to see if the impression remains. If the impression fills in, wait another 15 to 20 minutes to let rising continue. 
  • While dough is rising, prepare topping. Place ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times until crumbly. Store in fridge until needed.
  • After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it. Divide dough it into 10 equal pieces (Do yourself a favour and weigh dough and divide by 10 to be precise). Roll each piece into a ball. Join the last 2 balls together to make one larger ball. You will have 8 smaller balls and one larger ball, for a total of 9 balls of dough. Place balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rest for about 10 minutes.
  • Roll each of the smaller balls into a 14-inch-long strand with slightly tapered ends. Roll the large ball into a 21-inch strand. Lightly dust each strand in flour and place on parchment lined baking sheet so they do not stick. 
  • Beat eggs with water and place in a shallow baking dish. Place crumble topping in a second shallow baking dish. Dip 4 strands in egg and then in the crumble topping. Gently press topping into dough so that it sticks well. Coat the larger strand in crumble topping as well. You will have 4 plain strands and 5 crumble coated strands.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F. Watch this how to video on my blog for shaping instructions and form the challah. Cover the loaf with a tea towel and let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Beat egg yolk with water. Using a thin brush, brush only the plain strands with the egg wash. Add a bit more crumble topping to the crumb coated strands. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and on the parts where the bread has expanded, paint any newly exposed dough with egg wash on the plain strands and fill in with more crumble topping on the expanded bits of crumb coated strands. Place challah back in the oven and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until golden brown, or until an instant read thermometer, inserted into the center of the loaf, registers 190°F.  Remove challah to a wire rack and let cool before serving.

Notes

This recipe is a marriage of two different recipes.  The challah recipe comes from my friend Margo. The topping part of the recipe is adapted from my sister’s cousin’s friend, Elaine. Elaine and Margo have never met, as far as I know. My sister would like to introduce them. She thinks they’d like each other.  In my little cyber world, they are already great friends!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 6gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 207mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 258IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Rosh Hashanah
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Early Fall Tomato, Corn and Nectarine Salad

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This early fall Tomato Corn and Nectarine Salad is a perfect transitional season salad. While the end caps at the supermarket and drugstore are packed with Halloween candy, I’m not ready for sweater weather. I’m still harvesting my tomato plants and the markets are brimming with sweet corn and juicy nectarines.

We are straddling that line between summer and fall and I have both feet firmly planted on the summer side. I have always had problems with transitions.

Watch me build this salad:

What is tomato powder?

The secret ingredient in this salad is tomato powder. Tomato powder is made by drying tomatoes and then pulverizing them into a fine powder. It has a bright complex acidity that delivers a hit of pure tomato flavour, in a powdered form. I first learned about it from Sohla El-Waylly.

Here are some suggestions for using it:

  • Sprinkle directly on sliced tomatoes.
  • Add to spice rubs for beef, chicken or fish.
  • Sprinkle on veggies before roasting.
  • Mix with mayo for a sandwich spread.
  • Reconstitute with water (2 parts powder : 1 part water) to make tomato paste and use it in any tomato based sauce.

I have ordered a few different brands online (Sovegan Tomato Powder, Hoosier Hill Tomato Powder, and Burlap and Barrel Tomato Powder). All the ones I tried really packed a bump of rich savoury tanginess.

Tips for success:

  • Use a mix of different tomatoes for visual aesthetics. I used a few larger heirloom tomatoes as well as a mix of different coloured cherry tomatoes. Vary the way you slice the tomatoes for a prettier presentation, I cut some in slices and others into wedges.
  • Check the ingredient list of your tomato powder. Most do not contain salt. Tomatoes need lots of salt so don’t be shy with adding it. I like to sprinkle the tomatoes with both the tomato powder and Diamond Crystal Kosher salt and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
  • Add some toasted nuts for crunch. Pistachios, almonds or hazelnuts would be excellent choices.
  • Finish the salad with a healthy drizzle of a fruity good quality extra virgin olive oil and a generous sprinkle of a flaky sea salt.

Tomato, Nectarine and Corn Salad

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Servings 4 servings
Calories 244 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ears fresh corn shucked and cut off the cob
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, or 1/4 teaspoon Morton's Kosher Salt
  • 3 large Heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 cups assorted colours of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 teaspoons tomato powder
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, or 1 teaspoon Morton's Kosher Salt
  • 2 nectarines halved and cut into 1/4 inch wedges
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 10 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add corn and saute for 3-4 minutes, until corn starts to become golden brown. Season with salt. Set aside.
  • On a large serving plate or board, arrange sliced heirloom halved cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with tomato powder and kosher salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Arrange sliced nectarines onto the platter. Scatter the tomatoes and nectarines with the sautéed corn. Sprinkle with pistachios and basil. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 6gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 2809mgPotassium: 770mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1872IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Golden Three Cheese and Corn Galette

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Celebrating the last day of August with this Golden Three Cheese and Corn Galette. The farmers market table is still groaning under the weight of freshly picked corn around here, so I’m indulging for as long as possible. This galette is pure sunshine.

The dough for this galette crust comes together in less than 45 seconds in the food processor. It is flaky AF, thanks to the addition of a bit of cornmeal and some sour cream for tenderness. The dough freezes beautifully and works well for both sweet and savoury galettes.

This galette was inspired by a recipe on tastecooking.com for Corn Galette with Ricotta and Chile Oi. My version uses a cornmeal crust and I added a some fontina and pecorino cheese for a more savoury flavour. I spread a layer of pesto onto the dough before adding the corn and cheese filling. I topped the baked galette with my favourite hot honey, instead of the Chile Oil.

Watch how it all comes together.

Corn and Three Cheese Galette

Makes two 10-inch galettes
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Servings 4 servings
Calories 1022 kcal

Ingredients
  

Galette Dough

  • 40 grams sour cream
  • 75 grams ice cold water
  • 180 grams all-purpose flour
  • 35 grams cornmeal
  • 5 grams sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 100 grams unsalted butter, cold cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Galette Filling

  • 300 grams whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 40 grams pecorino cheese, grated
  • 60 grams fontina cheese, grated
  • 2 clove garlic, finely minced or grated on microplane
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 6 large ears of corn, shucked and corn cut off the cob or 4 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed

Assembly

  • 120 grams basil pesto
  • 1 large egg, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water

Garnish

  • 20 fresh basil leaves, for garnish
  • 40 grams hot honey, I love Mike's brand.

Instructions
 

Galette Dough

  • Whisk sour cream and ice water together and set aside. Place flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal blade and pulse to combine. Drop the butter pieces into the bowl and pulse 8 to 10 times, or until the mixture is speckled with pieces of butter that vary in size from breadcrumbs to peas. With the machine running, add the sour cream mixture and process just until the dough forms soft moist curds. Turn the dough out of the food processor onto the counter. Divide dough in half and shape each piece into a round disc.
  • Lightly dust one disc with flour, and roll between 2 sheets of parchment paper, into a 12-inch circle. A perfect circle is not necessary, just the approximation of that shape. Repeat with second disc. Chill dough rounds in fridge, still between their sheets of parchment paper, for about 30 minutes.
     

Make cheese filling

  • In a large mixing bow, mix together ricotta, pecorino, fontina, garlic, salt and half the corn. Reserve remaining corn kernels to put on top of cheese layer.

Assemble galette

  • Arrange racks in oven so that one is top middle and the other is bottom middle. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove dough rounds from fridge. Peel off top sheet of each round. Flip sheet over and carefully peel off bottom sheet of parchment paper. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with some of this parchment paper. Transfer one dough round to each baking sheet.
  • Spread each circle with half the pesto, leaving a 1½ inch border from the edge. Spread each tart with cheese mixture. Sprinkle remaining corn over each tart.
     
  • Fold the uncovered border of dough up over the filling, allowing the dough to pleat as you lift it up and work your way around the galette. Brush the border of the dough with egg wash.
  • Bake in oven for 25 minutes. Switch trays so that the tart that was on the bottom rack, is now on the top rack.Bake for a further 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
     
  • Just before serving, sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and drizzle with hot honey.

Notes

This galette was inspired by a recipe created by tastecooking.com for Corn Galette with Ricotta and Chile Oil.  I used my favourite super-flaky cornmeal galette crust, added some pesto to boost the basil flavour and instead of making my own chile oil, I  topped mine with hot honey.

Nutrition

Calories: 1022kcalCarbohydrates: 106gProtein: 33gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 28gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 1352mgPotassium: 741mgFiber: 8gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 2598IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 438mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

For more galette inspiration, check out these recipes:

Ethereal Coconut Peach Layer Cake

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It’s the last week of August and things are just peachy around here in the saltandserenity kitchen with this Ethereal Coconut Peach Layer Cake.

I know that some of you are in a hurry to get to all things pumpkin spiced, but slow down for a minute please. The markets here in Ottawa are still brimming with peaches, corn and tomatoes, so just relax and enjoy. Pumpkins can wait their turn.

The combination of peach and coconut is an unusual but very delicious one. Considering that both are members of the drupe family, it makes sense.

This triple layer cake, created by bake from scratch is an impressive beauty. Plush layers of coconut cake are filled with juicy peaches and fluffy vanilla buttercream. Toasted shards of coconut cover the sides for an extra burst of coconut flavour.

Watch how it all comes together:

Tips for Success for baking Ethereal Coconut Peach Layer Cake:

  • The recipe calls for cake flour, which has a lower protein content than all purpose flour and makes a more tender cake. No cake flour on hand, no problem. Make your own cake flour by combining all-purpose flour with some cornstarch. (The exact amounts are in the recipe). Cornstarch adds tenderness and lowers the overall protein content of the all-purpose flour, making a finer, more even crumb on your cake.
  • Brush cake layers with a peach simple syrup. The extra time taken to make the simple syrup will reward you with a lush and moist cake.
  • Use full fat coconut milk please. This is not the time to save calories.

Coconut Peach Cake

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Servings 15
Calories 1189 kcal

Ingredients
  

Peach Simple Syrup

  • 1 medium peach, peeled, pitted and sliced into 8 wedges
  • 100 grams granulated sugar
  • 120 grams water

Cake

  • 340 grams unsalted butter, room temperature removed from fridge 1 hour before baking
  • 400 grams granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 437 grams cake flour or 382 grams all purpose flour plus 55 grams cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt
  • 180 grams coconut milk
  • 120 grams buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 3 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4 inch thick wedges

American Buttercream

  • 567 grams unsalted butter, room temperature removed from fridge 1 hour before using
  • 1365 grams icing sugar, sifted
  • 240 grams 35% whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 1 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt

Garnish

  • 120 grams coconut flakes, toasted

Instructions
 

Peach Simple Syrup

  • In a medium saucepan, heat all ingredients over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool. Using a blender, food processor or immersion blender, blend until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; butter and flour pans again.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together coconut milk and buttermilk. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with coconut milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Divide batter among prepared pans.
  • Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Brush layers with Peach Simple Syrup.

American Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until creamy, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, cream, and salt, beating until smooth. Use immediately.

Assemble Cake

  • Place 2 cups American Buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pipe a ½-inch-thick layer of buttercream around edge of one cake layer. Spread buttercream within border. Layer half of peaches in center, gently pressing into buttercream and ensuring border is higher than peaches. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread a thin layer of American Buttercream on top and sides of cake. Freeze for 30 minutes. Spread remaining American Buttercream on top and sides of cake. Press toasted coconut into sides of cake. Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Notes

Recipe created by Bake From Scratch Magazine. 
If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can make your own by adding some cornstarch to all purpose flour. See amounts in recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 1189kcalCarbohydrates: 152gProtein: 7gFat: 64gSaturated Fat: 42gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 186mgSodium: 774mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 3gSugar: 127gVitamin A: 1944IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 1mg
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Pro Tips for Cookie Baking

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With over 118 cookie recipes on my blog, it’s fair to say that I have learned a thing or two about the science of cookie baking. I’m going to share my pro tips for cookie baking with you today as I bake my way through my new current fave cookie, Coffee Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

These are a decidedly adult cookie, with deep notes of coffee and bitter-sweet toffee and chocolate. Intense but not too sweet, they are crispy at the edges, thick and chewy in the center and completely addictive.

Here are my top 8 pro tips for cookie baking.

1. Ditch the measuring cups and get a scale. The most important tip I want you to adopt it is, bake by weight not volume. If you have ever been on Weight Watchers, there is a scale lurking at the back of your kitchen cabinet somewhere. This is the one I use.

Professional bakers and pastry chefs use a scale. It leads to consistent results every time. Depending on how it’s scooped and leveled, a cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 125 grams (4.5 ounces) to 170 grams (6 ounces). This is a difference of 36%. That could make a huge difference in your baking. I take the time to test my recipes several times, using grams not cups. By weighing your ingredients, your baked goods will turn out like mine, almost perfect every time.

Baking by weight also means less dirty dishes and cups to wash. Everything gets added to one mixing bowl. After measuring each ingredient you “tare” the scale, meaning you push a button to take it back to zero weight. So if you put an empty mixing bowl on the scale and press tare, the scale will read zero and the weight of the bowl is not measured.

2. Use room temperature butter. It only takes about an hour for butter removed from fridge to reach room temperature (21°C/70°F). Butter sitting out on the counter all day will get too warm. You want to be able to leave a fingerprint in the butter and have the butter still feel firm and not greasy. If the butter is too soft, it won’t allow the sugar to aerate properly and you will have flat cookies.

3. Don’t use supermarket chocolate chips. Use good quality baking or couverture chocolate. In the video I used Lindt 70% dark chocolate bars that I chopped up. I also love these Valrhona Manjari feves.

Supermarket chocolate chips have stabilizers in them that allow the chips to hold their shape. They never fully soften, so you won’t get those melty pools of glossy chocolate on top of your cookies. Couverture chocolate has a higher cocoa butter content so that you get that melty, silky mouthfeel.

4. Use a spring loaded scoop to shape and portion your cookies. I like this one. Your cookies will all be the same size and bake evenly.

5. Chill cookie dough for at least 24 hours before baking. Practice patience. Chilling the dough improves both the texture and flavour of your cookies. While the dough is chilling the flour has a chance to hydrate, leading to a thicker and chewier cookie, better browning and a more even bake.

A second benefit to chilling is that the flavour of the cookie really intensifies. You get a more complex caramel-toffee flavour. It’s worth taking the time to chill. I recommend scooping the dough right after mixing, while it is still soft. It will be easier to scoop. Wrap the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap before refrigerating to prevent transfer of fridge odours.

6. Add extra toppings halfway through the baking time. Hold back about 25% of your mix ins (chocolate chunks and toffee bits). After your cookies have been baking for about 5-6 minutes, pull them from the oven and carefully arrange the balance of chocolate and toffee on top of the cookies. That’s how you get those beautiful instagram worthy cookies.

7. Do the cookie scoot. The toffee bits will ooze out and create scraggly looking cookies. Use a cookie cutter slightly bigger than the cookie to reshape the cookies while still warm once they are done baking.

8. Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt. I love Maldon. There are several members of my family that vehemently oppose this, so if you’re in that camp, omit the salt. No judgement here.

Coffee Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Servings 34 cookies
Calories 219 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 227 grams unsalted butter removed from fridge, 30 minutes before baking
  • 50 grams granulated sugar
  • 373 grams golden brown sugar
  • 45 grams turbinado sugar
  • 5 grams vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 195 grams bread flour
  • 250 grams all purpose flour
  • 2 grams instant espresso powder
  • 2 grams Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt or 1 gram Mortons Kosher salt
  • 9 grams baking soda
  • 280 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks I like Valrhona Guanaja Feves
  • 130 grams toffee Skor bits or homemade, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces (recipe for homemade below)
  • 2 Tablespoons flaky sea salt, optional I like Maldon

Instructions
 

  • Place butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla bean paste or extract and mix.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together bread flour, all purpose flour, instant espresso powder, salt and baking powder.
  • Add the flour mixture to the cookie dough. Mix well, until no white streaks remain. Add chopped chocolate and toffee bits and mix until they are evenly distributed into the dough.
  • Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, (I used this one),scoop out mounds of dough. Each ball of dough should weigh about 45 grams.Place scoops on parchment lined cookie sheet. They can be right next to each other on the baking sheet for now, as you are just putting them there to chill. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap to prevent cookies from absorbing unwanted fridge odours. Chill dough for at least an hour and up to 36 hours.
  • About 30 minutes before you’re ready to bake cookies, set one rack in upper middle position and other rack in lower middle position of oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. 
  • Spread cookies out on two parchment lined baking sheets, making sure there is at least 2 inches between cookies. You should be able to get about 8-9 cookies on each baking sheet. You will need to bake in two batches.
  • Bake cookies, two sheets at a time for 5 minutes.Switch position of cookies and bake for a further 5-6 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden on the edges and a bit gooey in the center. Do not over bake!  Remove sheet from oven and sprinkle tops of cookies with flaky sea salt if desired.  Allow to sit undisturbed on baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes. Then carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack.  Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Notes

Note: If you want pretty, melted pools of chocolate and toffee on top of your cookies, hold back about 1/3 cup of the chopped chocolate and 1/4 cup of the toffee bits that gets mixed into the dough. After the cookies have been baking for 5 minutes, arrange a few chocolate nuggets and toffee bits on top of each partially baked cookie and continue baking for about 5 more minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 528mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 228IUVitamin C: 0.05mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
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Homemade Toffee

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Ingredients
  

  • 330 grams granulated sugar
  • 339 grams unsalted butter
  • 57 grams water
  • 40 grams corn syrup
  • 4 grams Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 2 grams Mortons's kosher salt
  • 14 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 2 grams baking soda

Instructions
 

  • Line a baking sheet with sides with parchment paper.
  • In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, water, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 300°F. This will take about 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Immediately pour the toffee onto the baking sheet and using a rubber spatula, spread it out into a rectangle roughly12 x 15 inches. It does not have to be a perfect rectangle. Allow the toffee to cool completely at room temperature. Do not refrigerate. Once totally cool, break into small pieces.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep for 2 months.

Notes

You can certainly buy Skor Bits to add to your cookies, but homemade toffee is so much better. This recipe is adapted from the beautiful new cookbook, “Bobbette & Belle”, written by Toronto bakers Allyson Bobbitt and Sarah Bell. A candy thermometer is essential for making toffee.
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The Ultimate Ice Cream Sandwich

The Ultimate Ice Cream Sandwich (Mocha Almond Fudge)

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The problem with most homemade ice cream sandwiches is that the cookie part of the sandwich becomes rock hard upon freezing. It becomes impossible to take a bite and the ice cream just squishes out and makes a huge mess. You need a cookie with a soft texture.

The talented folks at America’s Test Kitchen have figured out how to make a squidgy chocolate wafer, just like the classic ice cream sandwich of my youth. A chocolate wafer, so moist, it stuck to the paper wrapper. I had to lick the chocolate crumbs off my fingers when I was all done. The secret ingredient to keeping that cookie layer super fudgy is chocolate syrup. All the ingredients are mixed in a bowl and spread into a thin layer on a baking sheet.

For the ice cream filling, I had no interest in recreating the bland, insipid vanilla ice cream center of my youth. My goal was the ultimate ice cream sandwich. I decided to fill mine with Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream, my spin on Baskin & Robbins Jamoca Almond Fudge.

The last time I made this ice cream I just scooped it into cones. I think the ice cream sandwiches take it to another level. I dipped the short sides of the sandwiches in a mixture of crushed chocolate covered espresso beans and chopped toasted almonds. The textural crunch they provide balance the soft ice cream and squishy cookie layer. Perfection.

Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Servings 12 ice cream sandwiches
Calories 747 kcal

Equipment

  • ice cream maker
  • 2 quarter sheet pans (9×13 inches each)
  • 1 offset spatula

Ingredients
  

Mocha Almond Fudge Ice cream

  • 340 grams whole milk (1 1/2 cups)
  • 680 grams 35% cream (3 cups)
  • 98 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 20 grams corn syrup (1 Tablespoon)
  • 8 grams Instant espresso powder (2 Tablespoons)
  • 10 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
  • 94 grams roasted almonds, coarsely chopped (2/3 cup)
  • 234 grams hot fudge sauce (3/4 cup)

Chocolate Wafers

  • 210 grams all purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
  • 63 grams Dutch process cocoa powder (3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 large eggs
  • 198 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
  • 117 grams chocolate syrup (like Nesquick) (1/3 cup)
  • 170 grams unsalted butter, melted (3/4 cup)

For Decorating

  • 115 grams chocolate covered espresso beans, coarsely chopped (2/3 cup)
  • 94 grams roasted almonds, coarsely chopped (2/3 cup)

Instructions
 

Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream

  • Freeze the work bowl of an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Usually, it needs at least 24 hours in the freezer before you start, so plan accordingly.
     
  • In a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout, whisk together milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, espresso powder, vanilla and salt.
  • Turn on ice cream machine and pour mixture into canister. Freeze for about 20-25 minutes, until the ice cream has soft serve consistency. Add almonds during the last minute of mixing.
     
  • Warm hot fudge sauce slightly, so that it has a drizzling consistency. Set out a 9×5 inch loaf pan to transfer the ice cream into.
     
  • Drizzle ¼ of the hot fudge sauce into the empty loaf pan. Scoop ⅓ of the ice cream over the fudge sauce and smooth out with a spatula. Continue drizzling and layering ice cream until you have 3 layers of ice cream and 4 layers of sauce. Freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm.  

Chocolate Cookies

  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350°F. Lightly spray two 9×13 inch quarter-sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray and line with parchment paper (do not grease parchment). 
  • Sift flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda into medium bowl.
  • Beat eggs, sugar, and chocolate syrup in large bowl until light brown. Add melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated. 
  • Add dry ingredients to egg mixture. With rubber spatula, gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet; stir until evenly moistened and no dry streaks remain. Pour half the batter into each prepared baking sheet. Use an offset metal spatula to spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until cookie springs back when touched with finger, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes, then run paring knife around perimeter of baking sheets to loosen.If you want the classic look of a store bought ice cream sandwich, dock the surface with a fork. Invert cookie onto work surface or large cutting board; carefully peel off parchment. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. 

Assemble Sandwiches

  • Line one 9×13 inch quarter sheet pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 4 inch overhang on each of the four sides. Place one cooled chocolate cookie, upside down, onto plastic wrap.
  • Remove ice cream from freezer and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften. Scoop the ice cream onto the cookie in the pan, and using an offset spatula, spread it out evenly. Top with second chocolate cookie. Cover with overhanging plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours.
  • Unwrap ice cream sandwich and place on cutting board. Cut into 12 rectangles. Place ice cream sandwiches back onto baking sheet to keep frozen while you get the decorating ingredients ready to use.
  • Mix chopped chocolate covered coffee beans and chopped almonds together and place in a shallow bowl. Remove ice cream sandwiches from freezer and press the long sides of each sandwich into the crumble mixture. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and store in freezer bag until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 747kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 12gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 294mgPotassium: 466mgFiber: 6gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 1301IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 156mgIron: 3mg
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Cheesy Kale Pita Panini

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Cheesy Kale Pita Panini

This cheesy kale pita panini will turn kale haters into believers. This is a decidedly adult grilled cheese sandwich that will have you craving kale. A heap of kale, flavoured with onions, garlic and Aleppo pepper wilts down into a glorious pile of shiny tangy greens. Mixed with some mozzarella, Fontina and Gouda, this panini will satisfy both your grilled cheese craving and your need for green nutrients. Don’t omit the finishing drizzle of hot honey.

Check out how it all comes together:

Get to Know the Different Varieties of Kale

If you had told me a few years ago that I would actually crave a kale salad, I would have thought you were crazy. I used to hate kale. It made my throat itchy.

Apparently, I was doing it all wrong. I was buying curly kale, and using it raw, in salads. Curly kale is best for blending into smoothies or sauteeing, stews and soups, where the heat can mellow it’s bitter bite.

For eating raw, Tuscan Kale (aka Lacinato Kale or Dinosaur Kale or Cavalo Nero/Black Kale) is a better choice. It is a bit more tender than the curly variety and the flavour, while still quite earthy, has an almost nutty sweetness. You need to remove the stems, slice it quite thinly and let it sit in the dressing for about 10 minutes before serving. That will help to tenderize it.

Keys to Success for Cheesy Kale Pita Panini

If you don’t have a panini press, just heat a frying pan over medium heat. Place stuffed pita onto the hot pan. Place another heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, onto the sandwich, then add two heavy cans to the top pan. Press down on the cans to compress the sandwich. 

Since you are sautéing the kale, either curly or Tuscan kale can be used here. Just make sure you remove the leaves from the stems and slice them very thinly.

For the cheese, use a good mix of flavourful melting cheeses. I used mozzarella, Gouda and Fontina. Monterey Jack would be a good choice as well.

Rather than trying to cut a pocket into the pita to stuff it, make your life easier and just slice the pita in half so that you can top it like a sandwich made with two slices of bread.

Don’t be shy with the Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes. Cheese is bland and needs something to wake it up.

Be picky about your pita. Not all pita bread is created equal. There are some brands out there that have the texture of cardboard. You want a thick fluffy pita. I love Angel Bakeries pita (I find it at Whole Foods).

Cheesy Kale Grilled Pita Panini

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Servings 4 panini sandwiches
Calories 609 kcal

Equipment

  • Panini press optional, see note

Ingredients
  

  • 185 grams black kale (also called lacinato kale) about 1 small bunch
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 180 grams yellow onion about 1/2 a large onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced on microplane grater
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
  • 75 grams pesto about 1/3 cup
  • 227 grams shredded cheese I used a mix of mozzarella. gouda and fontina
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 340 grams pita 4-five inch pitas, each pita about 85 grams in weight
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil for brushing the outside of pita
  • 2 tablespoons hot honey for drizzling onto finished panini

Instructions
 

  • Wash kale leaves. Strip kale leaves from stem. I find the tip of a paring knife is the best job for separating the leaf from the stem. Discard stems. Pile the leaves up and use a sharp chef's knife to slice across into 1/4 inch strips.
  • Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and diced onions. Sauté over medium heat until onions are tender, about 4-5 minutes. If onions start to burn add about 1/4 cup water. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in Aleppo pepper.
  • Add kale and cook, tossing, until kale is wilted down. This will take 1-2 minutes. Transfer kale and onions to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add pesto, shredded cheese, salt and pepper to kale mixture. Mix well until everything is well combined.
  • Preheat panini press. (see note if you do not have panini press). Slice pita in half horizontally, and spread 1/4 of the kale and cheese mixture onto each pita. Brush both sides of pita with olive oil.
  • Place 2 pita onto the panini maker and grill for about 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and pita is golden brown. If using a skillet, flip the pita over at the 3 minute mark and grill for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 pita.
  • Drizzle with hot honey and serve.

Notes

If you don’t have a panini press, just heat a frying pan over medium heat. Place stuffed pita onto the hot pan. Place another heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, onto the sandwich, then add two heavy cans to the top pan. Press down on the cans to compress the sandwich. 

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 23gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 1.313mgPotassium: 395mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 5.532IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 523mgIron: 3mg
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Chive Blossom Chinese Pancakes

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The secret to making Flaky Chive Blossom Chinese Pancakes

Chive Blossom Chinese Pancakes, not to be confused with the traditional Western sweet breakfast pancake, are a savoury snack. Traditionally the dough is sprinkled with scallions and sesame oil, rolled up and coiled into a spiral and then flattened out into a disc and pan-fried.

My chives have all flowered, and after last year’s success with creating Chive Blossom Butter, I was excited to find another way to use up those gorgeous chive blossoms.

I scattered my dough with toasted sesame seeds, finely chopped chives and their vibrant purple flowers for a yummy aperitivo snack. Ultra crispy and flaky on the outside and slightly chewy inside, these are addictive.

Watch how they come together.

A hot water dough for Chive Blossom Chinese Pancakes

Commonly, the dough for most Chinese pastries, like dumplings and these pancakes, is made with hot water. This is counterintuitive to everything we have been taught about pastry. Pie dough and biscuits are made with ice cold ingredients. But, the hot water acts to inhibit gluten formation. This dough rolls out so easily and is a dream to work with. A dough with a lower gluten content will be more tender. This is what we want in these pancakes. They will still have a pleasant chew.

The secret to flaky layers in Chive Blossom Chinese Pancakes

Traditionally, the dough for Chinese pancakes is made with hot water and flour. But I came across a recipe for Scallion Pancakes, by food journalist Julie Van Rosendaal that added butter to the dough. I was intrigued. First of all, butter equals flavour, and secondly, if you think about traditional butter pastries, like croissants and puff pastry, butter adds layers of flakiness. In forming these pancakes, you are in essence performing a mini lamination.

I added butter in two forms. Solid butter is worked into the flour, with your fingertips, so that you have flat shards of butter, that will release steam when it hits the hot oven, contributing to flaky layers. The second addition of butter is melted butter. After rolling the dough flat it gets brushed with melted butter and rolled up a second time to create more flaky layers. J Kenji Lopez-Alt, had the genius idea to add a second rolling and coiling of the dough, to enhance those flaky layers. It’s a small additional step, but the payoff is worth it.

What to serve these with

I made Kenji’s soy dipping sauce, loaded with ginger and scallions. It is very delicious. I also added a big drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey just before serving and that sweet heat was fantastic. If you’re feeling fancy, a glass of Prosecco is the perfect accompaniment for aperitivo hour.

Make ahead tips

The pancakes freeze beautifully. After the final rolling, I layered the uncooked pancakes between sheets of parchment or waxed paper and slid them into a freezer bag . I cooked them right from frozen, no defrosting. The cooking time was slightly longer.

Chive Blossom Chinese Pancakes

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Servings 4 Pancakes
Calories 618 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 300 grams all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 28 grams unsalted butter, cold cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup hot water
  • 42 grams unsalted butter, melted
  • 24 chives, with blossoms washed and laid on paper towel to dry
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 35 grams sesame seeds, toasted
  • 2 Tablespoons hot honey optional, for drizzling on finished pancakes

Dipping Sauce

  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon scallion (green onion) greens, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons sugar

To Cook

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Rub in 28 grams of butter. Stir in the hot water until you have a soft dough. Turn it out onto the countertop and knead for a few minutes, until it’s smooth. Return it to the bowl, cover with a towel and set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Using sharp scissors, snip the chive flower blossoms into individual petals. Place in a small bowl. Using scissors or knife, finely slice chives into bowl with blossoms. Mix and set aside.
  • Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each into a rectangle (it can be oval-ish) as thin as you can – about 7×10 inches, with a long side facing you. Brush with the melted butter.
  • Starting at a long side, roll up tightly into a long roll, and then shape it into a coil. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough and let them rest for about five minutes.
  • Flatten each coil, gently with your hand, then re-roll into a 7×10 inch rectangle/oval for the second time.
  • Brush with another layer of melted butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 of the chives and chive blossom mixture and 1/4 of the toasted sesame seeds and roll up tightly into a long roll, and then shape it into a coil. Flatten coil gently, with your palm and re-roll into a 7-inch disk, about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside at room temperature.
  • Drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable oil into in an 8-inch nonstick pan and heat over medium-high heat. Carefully slip pancake into hot oil. Cook, shaking pan gently, until first side is an even golden brown (about 2 minutes). Carefully flip with tongs and continue to cook, shaking pan gently, until second side is an even golden brown (about 2 minutes longer). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and cut into 6 wedges. Repeat with remaining 3 pancakes. Drizzle with hot honey, if using, and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from Julie Van Rosendaal’s recipe for Spring-Onion Cakes (Globe and Mail May 23, 2024) and Serious Eat’s Recipe for Extra-Flaky Scallion Pancakes. The additional step of  a second layer of lamination is what gives a super flaky pancake. This was the genius idea of Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats. 
The drizzle of hot honey was my idea. I loved the addition of sweet heat to these pancakes.  I’m planning to serve these all summer long at Aperitivo hour with a glass of Prosecco.  They freeze  beautifully too, if you want to make them in advance and have them ready to go. Freeze them, rolled flat and uncooked, between pieces of waxed paper or parchment, and cook them straight from frozen

Nutrition

Serving: 4gCalories: 618kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 11gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 2061mgPotassium: 173mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 714IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 142mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!