Baking

I was sure a post on chocolate would be my easiest by far- turns out writing about chocolate is actually very hard. The challenge is that it’s too simple, too obvious, my feelings about it are too common. I love chocolate, it’s my favorite food, I’ll eat it at any time of day including for breakfast, it makes every bad situation seem manageable, I consider it a legitimate food group and I never get tired of eating it. Never.

On second thought, why don’t I stop trying to be fancy and just quit there? I mean, those of you who share my lust for chocolate already get it and those of you who don’t, well, it’s sad but we’ll probably never be good friends. Below are two of my favorite chocolate recipes. The bread pudding is very decadent and a calorie bath; the cookie dough bites are a wonderfully healthy solution to sweet-tooth cravings or make a great guilt-free dessert.

DECADENT: Chocolate Bread Pudding

Serves 8-10. The original recipe for this bread pudding calls for challah (which is delicious) but I make it when I have homemade bread going stale; don’t be afraid to use whatever you have. Also, I don’t digest dairy very well so I swap out all the milk for coconut milk (I leave the butter!) so this recipe is adapted to my preferences. For the original recipe go to How To: Simplify)

Ingredients:
4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large loaf of bread or equivalent , cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks

Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 cup of plain coconut creamer
1 cup semisweet/dark chocolate cut into chunks
1/2 tsp cholula (or any hot sauce)

The leftover homemade soda bread I used.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter (if you’re not portioning for guests before serving, bake in the dish you want to serve it in, it doesn’t transfer attractively).

2. Combine coconut milk and butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.

3. Line the baking dish with half the bread & sprinkle with half the chocolate chunks.

4. Add remaining bread slices to dish and pour the milk mixture over the bread evenly so that all of it is covered in the mixture.

5. Top with remaining chocolate chunks.

6. Allow the baking dish to stand for 15 minutes. During this time, press down the bread every once in a while in order to ensure it’s all soaked in the milk mixture.

7. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture is set and the bread is lightly browned.

8. Remove from the oven and drizzle (or cover) with Chocolate Ganache.

Adding the egg & milk mixture

How To Make Ganache: In a double boiler mix together a generous 1/2 cup of the plain coconut creamer with 1 cup of dark/semisweet chocolate chunks. Melt and stir until it is a smooth chocolate sauce. If it is too thick to drizzle, slowly add remaining 1/4 cup of coconut creamer until desired consistency is achieved.

Drizzle the ganache or cover the whole thing!

*tips: Don’t be afraid to mix different types of bread together. I once made this with a combo of leftover homemade soda bread and a quarter loaf of store-bought whole wheat and it was great. Just mix the chunks of bread together well before you start the recipe. If you are plating individual portions before serving I recommend scooping out the servings and then drizzling each portion with some of the chocolate ganache, it looks better.

HEALTHY: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Makes 12. This recipe is adapted from Clean Food Dirty City. She makes these raw and gluten free and they are great that way but I prefer the extra salt kick and roasted flavor of roasted cashews and I didn’t have oats that said 100% gluten free. I also love these as a quick treat on the go so to avoid flaky crumbs I blend all the coconut flakes right into the mix instead of rolling them in it.

Ingredients:
¾ cup roasted & salted cashews
½ cup rolled oats (gluten free if desired)
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (regular is fine)
6 honey dates (or 3 medjool) pitted and soaked in hot water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup dark/semisweet chocolate chips

Always measure out ingredients before starting to cook

1. Line a plate with parchment paper and set it aside.

2. Combine the cashews, oats, coconut flakes, and salt in a food processor or Vitamix. Pulse until a fine meal forms.

3. Add the soaked dates (make sure they are pitted!), 3 tablespoons of the water the dates have been soaked in, and the vanilla extract. Pulse again until the mixture becomes a dough like consistency.

4. Remove the dough and place it in a small bowl. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until they are incorporated into the dough mixture.

5. Portion out the dough onto parchment paper into twelve equal sized balls. With clean hands, roll into rounded balls.

7. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate for 15 minutes to hold shape better for serving. Store leftovers in the freezer (these can actually be eaten right out of the freezer too!)

Use a spoon or your hands to scoop into balls

*tips: Pink Himalayan sea salt is what I use in almost all my dessert recipes (and always when using as a dusting/topping for chocolate or caramel) but regular salt works fine. If you want the pretty coconut flake coating simply leave it out half of it and at the end roll the balls in the remaining coconut flakes using your hands to make sure it sticks well. Layer parchment paper when storing so they don’t stick together.

Refrigerate a few minutes before serving so you can pile them

Refrigerate a few minutes to help keep shape when piling

Whichever recipe you choose (I hope you try both!), remember that chocolate is an instrument of pleasure and whether you are indulging or being healthy, enjoyment is a must and guilt has no place at the table.♥

SCONE vs SCONE

Standing in line at various coffee shops all over North America I can often be found pondering the same question, “That large, dry, over-priced baked thing covered in sugar, what IS that?” The sign always says the same thing: Scone. Can it be that ubiquitous American coffee chains have truly succeeded in perpetrating this fraud? Do people actually think this is a scone? Surely they understand that this over-baked behemoth, requiring constant sips of equally bad coffee to be choked down is not a scone but unable to find the real thing, have settled for this depressing substitute, the thing my friend Bryan calls a giant coffee crouton.

Now, I’m willing to concede that some of those meal replacement-sized, industrial “scones” aren’t so terrible, they simply fall so short of their namesake that I wish they would call them something else. To those of you who enjoy these knockoff scones that offend me so I say, enjoy. Perhaps though, you will allow me to persuade you to try the alternative, and challenge you to bake them yourself.

MY FAVORITE QUIET TIME IN THE MORNING - BAKING BREAKFAST!

MY FAVORITE QUIET TIME IN THE MORNING: MAKING BREAKFAST (scones are on the stove)

The traditional scones of English tea fame are smallish, most commonly round, fitting in the palm of your hand (the triangle shape also seen stateside hails from when scones were baked as one large, flat cake and cut into slices). They are firm enough on the outside to offer a little crumble when eaten and soft enough on the inside to provide a welcoming pillow for strawberry jam or clotted cream. Eating one instantly fills your mouth with the subtle sweetness of butter and cream without being sugary. They are more reminiscent of pastry dough, less like cake.

FRESHLY BAKED SCONES IN LESS THAN 30 MIN!

In England, I found scones most commonly offered in two flavors, plain or with raisins and have also enjoyed savory ones made with cheese. When you make them at home I think the only limits should be what is seasonally available. When the summertime farmer’s market is overflowing with fruit I highly recommend adding berries and in the fall I like to switch over to savory and try adding different cheeses. If you live in a wintery area and go months without local produce fear not, the plain ones are glorious and jam keeps year round : )

Of all the recipes I have tested my favorite is from “Mastering the Basics: Baking.” True to it’s name, the book’s recipe is simple, easy to follow and delicious. It is also one of the best recipes to use as a foundation should you desire to tweak and play, creating the perfect recipe to pass down through your family.

Rich Scones

(I prefer smaller scones and use a 2″ scone cutter but use whatever shape you like or cut free hand with a sharp pointed, non-serated knife).

2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1½ oz chilled butter, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup caster sugar (regular granulated will do in a pinch)
1 egg at room temperature
3/4 cup un-whipped heavy whipping cream
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg lightly whisked, to glaze

1) Preheat oven to 425º. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with non-stick baking paper.

2) Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Working quickly so the butter doesn’t melt, use your fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (with practice this step gets easier). Stir in the sugar and make a well in the center of the bowl.

3) Whisk the egg, cream and vanilla together with a fork. Pour into to the well in the dry ingredients and mix with a flat-bladed knife, using a cutting action, until the dough comes together in clumps.

4) Use lightly floured fingers to gently gather the dough, lift it onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very lightly and briefly to bring it together in a smooth ball. Pat the dough out to 1 inch think. Use a floured round cutter to cut out scones (press straight down, do not twist the cutter into the dough). Gather the leftover trimmings and without handling to much, press out again to cut more scones. Place the scones close together (I set them almost touching) on the prepared tray and brush lightly with the whisked egg (when I don’t have a basting/pastry brush I just use my fingers).

5) Bake scones for 10-12 minutes or until they are well risen, light golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped at the base. Best served warm with butter, honey, jam, marmalade, preserves, clotted cream or all! *Leftover scones keep well in an airtight container for at least 3 days. Do not refrigerate them!

PREPARE WORK SURFACE BEFORE ADDING LIQUIDS

DOUGH BALL DOESN’T NEED TO BE PERFECT

CUTTING SCONES WITH A 2″ CUTTER

GLAZING WITH WHISKED EGG

Play! Try adding to batter:

Berries, raisins/sultanas, dried cherries/cranberries, cheese, caramelized onions (at room temp), orange/lemon zest, and anything else your heart desires! Add your extra ingredients after the butter and before you mix in the liquids. (Notes: for savory scones omit sugar from the recipe. Cut fruit or vegetables such as strawberries or onions will add moisture and therefore a little extra baking time to your scones). Happy experimenting!♥

I LOVE WHEN MY FRIENDS WAKE UP TO THIS

THESE MOMENTS ARE THE REASON I BAKE

Looking for the perfect jam? Check out my post on Sqirl : )

Pass the Butter

Cooking, foodie adventures, restaurants, musings. Everything food.

TEA WITH…SCONES?