Table of contents for September/October 2019 in Bake from Scratch

IT’S FINALLY FALL! I bake all year long, but fall remains one of my favorite baking seasons, and this issue is packed with every reason why. September is National Biscuit Month! In celebration, we’re partnering with White Lily to deliver the kind of biscuit info you crave. White Lily has long been the only flour I reach for when baking endlessly tender biscuits, and I’m excited to be sharing one of my favorite biscuit recipes on page 18. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter, PreHeat, at bakefromscratch.com so you can get biscuit wisdom delivered straight to your inbox. We’re also celebrating the release of the Downton Abbey film on September 20. I’ve been a fan of the series since it first aired in 2010 and am so excited…

PICK YOUR PEAR FOR THESE RECIPES, WE USED BARTLETT, BOSC, AND ANJOU PEARS. THESE VARIETIES HAVE THE HIGHEST VOLUME AND ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN GROCERY STORES YEAR-ROUND. HERE’S WHY THEY’RE OUR GO-TOS IN THE KITCHEN. Bartlett Bartlett pears are the only pears that have a true “pear shape” with a large, rounded bottom half that tapers to a smaller curved neck with a slender stem. Known as the canning pear, Bartletts hold their flavor when preserved and break down well when cooked. The two Bartlett varieties, red and yellow, are unique in that their skin color brightens as they ripen at room temperature. (Yellow Bartletts may be green when purchased but will turn golden as they ripen.) Other varieties show little color change as they ripen. Leave firm, unripe pears…

Store-bought is fine . . . but wouldn’t you rather have your own homemade spice mix on hand? Turn to page 111 for our recipes for an Everything Bagel Seasoning and Chai Spice to use in the bagel recipes. ASIAGO CHEESE Asiago is the king of cheeses, nutty and salty, crispy and creamy, all at once. We like to pile it on thick, so much so that we find ourselves saying, “Yes, there is a bagel underneath all that cheese.” Use ¼ cup (28 grams) grated cheese per bagel. EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING It’s the addictive topping that has officially gone mainstream. But we’re not complaining. Anything with a blend of seeds, garlic, onion, and salt is solid gold in our book. Use 1 tablespoon (9 grams) per bagel. TOASTED WHITE…

PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS WITH PECAN STREUSEL Makes 12 muffins These hearty muffins will be your go-to breakfast all season long. Pumpkin purée makes the crumb extra tender while a dash of pumpkin spice creates sweet heat. Don’t skip our Pecan Streusel. It lends nuttiness and an addictive crunch to every bite. 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour 1½ cups (330 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons (4 grams) pumpkin spice 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda ¾ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt 1 cup (244 grams) canned pumpkin ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted 2 large eggs (100 grams) ⅓ cup (80 grams) whole milk, room temperature Pecan Streusel (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour a 12-cup muffin pan. 2. In a…

CHEDDAR AND ONION BEER BREAD Makes 1 (8½x4½-inch) loaf This stir-together loaf can be made in a pinch with ingredients you probably have on hand, but don’t let that fool you—this isn’t your average quick bread. Beer’s natural leavening abilities give this a little extra lift, and gluten-inhibiting alcohol lends it an especially tender crumb. Amber ale deepens the bread’s flavor with complex, toasty notes of amber malt and bright citrus, which are complemented beautifully by the earthy tang of Cheddar cheese and oven-roasted sweet onion. 1 small sweet onion (about 215 grams) 1 tablespoon (14 grams) olive oil 2 teaspoons (6 grams) kosher salt, divided 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar 1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder ½ teaspoon (1 gram) coarse ground…

EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING Makes about ½ cup 2 tablespoons (18 grams) white sesame seeds 2 tablespoons (18 grams) black sesame seeds 1 tablespoon (9 grams) poppy seeds 2 teaspoons (12 grams) coarse sea salt 2 teaspoons (8 grams) dried minced garlic 2 teaspoons (8 grams) dried minced onion 1. In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. USE IT: Crunchy with a trio of seeds and fragrant with dried alliums, this Everything Bagel Seasoning helps us create our iconic Basic Bagels (page 49), but you can also sprinkle this aromatic topping on any savory bread recipe to take it to the next umami level, including our Four-Cheese Pull-Apart Milk Bread (page 63) and Cheddar and Onion Beer Bread (page 95).…

Cédric Grolet’s signature pears aren’t picked from any orchard known to man. Coated in an ethereal golden sheen, these pears look as though they were plucked from the same celestial orchard growing the apples that tempted Atalanta, the mortal huntress of Greek mythology. Slice into the lustrous exterior and you’ll reveal the pear’s white chocolate shell and pear mousse filling while a river of fresh pears cooked in pear compote and herbs flows onto your plate. Each element of this pastry harmonizes to capture the complexity of a pear’s flavor: delicately sweet, slightly tart, and subtly earthy. It’s the ultimate expression of a pear in pastry form. It’s only one in Cédric’s seasonal lineup of desserts inspired by apples, lemons, and every fruit in between. And it’s the reason his…

Split or whole, smeared with cream cheese or stuffed with smoked salmon, the bagel is the ringed baked good to rule them all. Brought to the United States by Eastern European immigrants in the early 20th century, the bagel has become a beloved staple of the American deli scene, launching a thousand schmears, lox spreads, and power brunches. At its peak in the 1990s, more bagels were bought and eaten than doughnuts. But now’s the time to heed the siren call for the home-boiled, home-baked bagel. Our two recipes are an ode to two classics, the solidly customizable plain bagel and the slightly sweet raisin-studded version. We’re not going to get into a rumble over whether these bagels beat your deli favorite or your grandma’s secret recipe. But they offer…

1. BREAD FLOUR OR BUST. Using a good bread flour in your recipe is a must. Strong flour with a high protein level (11% to 13% protein) helps you create that key starchy chewiness. King Arthur Bread Flour, with a 12.7% protein content, is a good choice. 2. DOUGH SHOULD BE STIFF BUT NOT STICKY. A true bagel has one of the lowest hydration levels of any dough to create a denser dough. A standard bagel recipe should not exceed 50% hydration (with flour and water at a 2:1 ratio). Our recipe is 3:1, leading to a nice chewy crumb. 3. BOIL IN A BATH OF BARLEY MALT SYRUP. Some people put sugar or honey in their dough, but Nicole thinks all the sweetness in your bagel should come from…

Plum THE NOURISHING BAKER Dev Amadeo | San Juan, Puerto Rico As is the full-time mom to a daughter who has Aicardi-Goutières, a rare genetic disorder that effects the nervous system and requires a highly specific diet, Dev Amadeo knows free time is a precious resource to devote to a true nourishing passion. What started as a necessary crash course in nutrition became a full-on obsession for Dev, particularly in the form of baking. Her blog, Plum, became an essential creative outlet for her to share some of her joy with the outside world, not just within her family. Each of her recipes is formulated with the busy, multitasking parent in mind. “I’m inspired by my own needs, because I found that when I wanted to bake, there weren’t the…

BOURKE STREET BAKERY: ALL THINGS SWEET (Murdoch, 2017) by Paul Allam and David McGuinness “My friend surprised me with this book by Paul Allam and David McGuinness, the guys behind the Australian bakery empire Bourke Street Bakery. I immediately fell in love with the casual style and rustic look of the pastries—I bake their carrot cake recipe on repeat. I’m such a huge fan that I traveled to Sydney, Australia to visit the original Bourke Street Bakery in Surry Hills. The pastries taste just as good as they look in the book.” Available at amazon.com. MATFER BOURGEAT SCRAPER  “A French manufacturer of baking tools for professional chefs, Matfer Bourgeat is behind my all-time baking favorite tool: the Matfer Scraper. Matfer nicknamed this tool the racle tout, which means ‘scrapes everything’…

It’s one of the great pleasures of baking, watching golden, viscous syrup slowly drizzle from spoon to bowl. The beauty and tastiness are apparent—but what’s really going on inside this lovely liquid? Coming in a number of shades and hues, from translucent to pitch black, syrup can be a tricky ingredient to incorporate into your baking because each variety comes with its own set of rules and guidelines. They have differing levels of sweetness, acidity, and longevity—but if you take the time to embrace their individual quirks, you’ll quickly learn how to add complex layers to your baking. Long before refined white sugar reigned supreme, syrup was the sweetener of choice. Honey has been used for thousands of years in creating sweet baked goods, from the earliest forms of cheesecakes…

Step 1: To properly shape your dough, place dough ball on a lightly floured surface, and cup the top of the dough loosely with your hand. Roll the dough into small circles until it becomes taut, pulling slightly on the surface. If the dough begins to tear, stop—you’ve gone too far. A tight dough ball is key, because any loose air bubbles will affect the signature crumb of the bagel. Step 2: Using your thumb and forefinger, pinch a hole through the center of the dough. Poking through on both sides (rather than poking a hole through with just the thumb) helps break the seal without tearing the dough. Step 3: Rotate the bagel between your hands, gently squeezing and stretching out the hole to about 3 inches wide, being…

CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE Makes 1 (9-inch) cake A grown-up chocolate cake, this olive oil stir-together batter has sophisticated cocoa notes complemented by a deep, dark ganache frosting. ⅔ cup (50 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted ½ cup (120 grams) boiling water 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar 1 cup (220 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar ¾ cup (168 grams) extra-virgin olive oil 3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour 1¼ teaspoons (6.25 grams) baking powder 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt Whipped Ganache (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper; butter sides of pan. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa and ½…

MAIDS OF HONOUR TARTS Makes 12 (3½-inch) tarts Made with jam and a lightly spiced cottage cheese filling, these tarts are said to go back to the time of King Henry VIII of England. When Henry noticed Anne Boleyn, then still a maid, savoring these tarts with other ladies in waiting, he decided to try some for himself. The king found them so delicious he named them after the maids. These dainty, irresistibly flaky tarts are perfect served with afternoon tea. Puff Pastry Dough (recipe follows) 3½ tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter, softened ¼ cup (50 grams) castor sugar ½ cup (50 grams) almond flour 1 medium free-range egg (47 grams), beaten 6 tablespoons (18 grams) lightly packed lemon zest 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon grated fresh…

Through the centuries, England has been the birthplace of many tasty tarts, from the timeless treacle and Yorkshire curd to the lesser-known Manchester or maids of honour. Out of them all, the Bakewell tart has transcended to become one of England’s most beloved confections. In a 2015 survey conducted by Craft Bakers’ Week, Brits chose the Bakewell tart as the country’s best dessert over Eccles cake and Chelsea buns by more than a quarter of the votes. The four main pillars of a Bakewell tart are a crisp shortcrust pastry shell, a thin layer of sweet jam (traditionally raspberry) spread over the pastry, a twice-as-thick blanket of fluffy frangipane on top of the jam, and a smattering of sliced almonds for a flaky finish. The tart’s filling bakes up into…

CLASSIC FUDGE BROWNIES Makes about 9 brownies Recipe by Paul A. Young For me, brownies are the most fun of all my products. I’m very particular when it comes to them and love to explore all the different styles, squidgy inside with a crunchy outside, layered flavours, milk or dark chocolate, cocoa powder or chocolate, and just-baked so they are gooey from inside to out. This happens to be my favourite style. I use chocolate rather than cocoa powder to give a seriously intense hit of indulgence. This is the base recipe for all my brownies, so feel free to go wild and add anything to the batter you fancy and then top with more of your favorite ingredients to customise further. 1½ cups plus 2 teaspoons (350 grams) unrefined…