3/4 cup dried cherries (dried cranberries or apricots would be good, too)
1 Tablespoon honey
1 and 1/2 cups warm water (about 95 degrees)
6 quart or higher dutch oven or 2 smaller dutch ovens, if making small loaves, or any large oven-safe pot with a lid.
Stir the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the warm water. The dough will be pretty sticky– you want a sticky dough! Gently shape into a ball as best you can. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Set on the counter at room temperature, and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and be covered in air bubbles.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. Transfer dough to a large piece of parchment paper. (Large enough to fit inside your pot and one that is safe under such high heat.
Using a very sharp knife, gently score an X into the top. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap and leave alone for 30 minutes.
During this 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place your dutch oven (with the lid) or heavy duty pot inside for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and sticking it all– the parchment paper included– inside the pot. Cover with the lid.
Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 8-10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown. Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on the counter for 30 minutes before breaking/slicing/serving.
Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for 1 week.
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and (Medrich’s method) set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Or (Deb’s method) you can melt the butter with the cocoa in a microwave too.
Both methods: Set the bowl aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added.
Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrich’s suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. (I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; it’s the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.)
Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
scant ⅓ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking sode
1 pinch table salt
¾ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon blueberry or raspberry jam
Almond Topping ¼ packed cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons almond flour
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
Heat the oven to 355°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tin with 14 paper liners (the bottoms of the baked muffins are quite moist, so paper liners are preferable to butter or baking spray).
Make the topping. In a medium bowl mix together the 50 grams (¼ packed cup) brown sugar, 15 grams (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour, and 12 grams (2 tablespoons) almond flour. Use your fingers to rub in the cold butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the sliced almonds and toss to combine, then place the crumb topping in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffin batter.
Make the muffin batter . In a large bowl, with a whisk or an electric hand mixer on low, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and 50 grams (¼ packed cup) brown sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla and beat until smooth and combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 200 grams (1 ⅔ cups) all-purpose flour, the 32 grams (scant ⅓ cup) almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the large bowl and beat just until combined and no flour streaks remain. Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins. Spoon ½ teaspoon of jam on top of each muffin and use an offset spatula or a butter knife to smooth the batter. Sprinkle the chilled topping over each muffin. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the muffins are golden, set, and spring back when lightly poked. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and letting them cool completely on a wire rack.
