Place the garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough oil to cover (at least 3 tablespoons). Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Repeat, stirring and microwaving in 30-second increments until the garlic begins to brown. Then repeat, stirring and microwaving in 15-second increments, until the garlic is deep gold. (This could take between 2 and 4 minutes total, depending on your microwave. In a sieve set over a bowl, drain the garlic, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a plate lined with paper towels and season with a pinch each of salt and sugar. Set aside to cool.
1 teaspoon white sugar ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper.
Place flour, salt, sugar, and grated cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir together until well mixed. Add rosemary; drizzle with olive oil and add water. Mix with a fork until mixture comes together in a fairly sticky dough and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer dough onto floured surface and add flour as you knead the dough. Knead until it no longer sticks to work surface, 4 to 5 minutes. Divide dough in half.
Dust work surface with flour. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness or less. Brush or mist surface of dough very lightly with water. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Prick the entire surface of dough with the tines of a fork to prevent crackers from puffing too much when baking.
Cut each rolled out half into about 30 pieces with a pizza wheel. You can cut them out in squares, rectangles, or triangles–your choice. Transfer onto prepared baking sheet with a bench scraper or your floured fingers (dough will be very sticky).
Bake in preheated oven until perfectly browned and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness.
3 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder Pinch salt 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, plus more for topping 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, melted coconut oil or melted butter 3 tablespoons milk ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract Ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, berries for garnish Instructions Place sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt in a mug. Use a small whisk or fork, and stir until combined, and free of lumps. Stir in chocolate chips. Add oil, milk and vanilla, stir with a spoon or small rubber spatula until just combined (try not to over mix it).
Sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips over the top and cook in the microwave for about 90 seconds (microwave times may vary). Eat immediately with ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, or berries.
Notes I have a used a 12oz and 16oz mug for this recipe. Although this is a single serving dessert, you can easily split this between 2 adults.
1/2-3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar-depnding on sweetness of fruit
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil or coconut
1/4 cup mild olive oil
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (opt)
2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
3 small ripe peaches (up to 5), pitted and thickly sliced (about 1/2-inch wide)
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stirring enables the salt and sugar to sift the flour, so you don’t need to sift it in advance. In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork, just enough to dampen; do not over work it. Then, transfer the dough to an 11-inch tart pan (you can use a smaller one if needed), and use your hands to pat out the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides to meet the edge. This will work if you pat firmly and confidently, but not if you curl your fingertips into the dough. It should be about 1/ 8-inch thick all around; trim and discard excess dough.
In a bowl, combine 1/2 -3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the butter. (If your peaches are especially juicy, add 1 tablespoon additional flour.) Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly, with a mixture of fine granules and tiny pebbles.
Starting on the outside, arrange the peaches overlapping in a concentric circle over the pastry; fill in the center in whatever pattern makes sense. The peaches should fit snugly. Sprinkle the pebbly butter mixture over top (it will seem like a lot). Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny, thick bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature, preferably with generous dollops of whipped cream.
notes: first time I made it with too many peaches as in too much juice and used spring form pan. It’s better made in 10” pie pan. Based on sweetness of fruit adjusted sugar.
Preheat oven to 375° and butter a 9×9-inch baking pan. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the egg and combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk, until well combined. Add the blueberries and fold a few times with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
For the topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the butter and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
In a large bowl mix together 2 cups of bread flour, sugar, salt, and 2 1/4 tsp Yeast.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the warm water. Using your hands, mix everything together until it forms a dough. The dough will be sticky, but don’t worry, it will come together once you knead it!
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 5 minutes or until the texture of the dough starts to smooth out. If the dough feels too sticky, add remaining ¼ cup flour in a tablespoon at a time until the dough is dry enough to work with. Form the dough into a ball and place into a greased bowl. Cover loosely with a dish cloth and put in a warm place to rise for just ten minutes.
After ten minutes, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. We like to do this on a piece of parchment paper for easy clean up and transport. Stretch out dough into a 12 inch round and place on pizza stone or baking sheet. Top with sauce, cheese, and whatever toppings you desire. Baked at 500° F for 10 minutes! Allow to cool before slicing and eating!
1 cup (145 grams) grated apple (from 1 7-ounce/medium-large apple)
1 cup (115 grams) grated carrot (from 1 thick carrot)
1/2 cup (80 grams) very well-drained crushed pineapple or chopped fresh pineapple
1/3 cup (30 grams) shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup raisins or another dried fruit (optional)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2/3 cup (130 grams) raw or granulated sugar
2/3 cup (155 ml) neutral oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (160 grams) all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons toasted, salted pepitas (optional)
Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment and let it extend up two sides of the pan.
In a large bowl, combine apple, carrot, pineapple, coconut, dried fruit, if using, lemon zest, sugar, and oil. Add eggs, and whisk to combine. Sprinkle spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda over the batter and stir very well to combine. Add flour, and stir just until it disappears.
Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle pepitas over cake, if using. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. Let cool in pan then carefully cut into squares with a serrated knife.
The cake is very moist and a little crumbly. I find that it keeps best in the fridge. The cake will keep for 5 to 6 days, chilled.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
Preheat your oven to 375° and set a rack to the middle position. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.
Put the apple cider in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Set aside to cool.
Using a standing or handheld mixer, cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each. Add the vanilla extract and blend.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add a third of this mixture to the butter mixture and beat just to combine. Add half the reduced cider and beat to combine. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture, then the rest of the cider, then the remaining flour mixture. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and transfer to the oven. Bake until tops are firm and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes.
For the topping:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Now, prepare the topping: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle, brush their tops and sides with butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Wash lemons and peel off all the zest using a vegetable peeler. Set peeled lemons aside. Add the lemon zest to a bowl and cover with sugar. Toss to combine. Cover and let sit for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Bring water to a boil in a pot over high heat; turn off heat and pour in the lemon-sugar mixture. Stir and let sit until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Pour through a mesh strainer back into the same bowl and discard the zest. Let cool to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.
Cut the lemons in half and squeeze into the bowl. Pour lemonade into a serving pitcher. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill thoroughly before serving over ice, at least 2 hours.
Chef’s Notes:
If your lemons feel waxy, give them a good scrub under hot water before using.
Feel free to adjust amounts of lemon juice and sugar.
6 tablespoons/85 grams cold salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 medium strawberries, cut into small 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch pieces (about 2/3 cup/100 grams), or whole blueberries, raspberries or other diced stone fruit
6 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more if needed
¼ cup/30 grams unsifted confectioners’ sugar
Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl. Toss the pieces of butter into the flour mixture to coat. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the mixture is mealy and small pieces of pea-size butter remain.
Add the diced strawberries and toss with a fork to combine. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add 4 tablespoons of the heavy cream and 1/4 cup water. Continue tossing with the fork until the dough is just evenly damp and shaggy, being careful not to overwork the dough too much. Add 1 to 3 teaspoons more water, as needed, if the dough is still too dry to work with.
Drop 6 mounds of dough (each a generous 1/3 cup) onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches of space between each mound and gently padding any stray bits of dough back into place as you work. Lightly brush the tops with 1 tablespoon heavy cream and bake until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
Add the confectioners’ sugar to a small bowl, and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream, adding more if needed to make a thick icing that is just thin enough to drizzle. Spoon over the warm biscuits; serve warm or at room temperature.
