Table of contents for May/June 2024 in Bake from Scratch

Bake Your Heart Out: Foolproof Recipes to Elevate Your Home Baking Dan Langan’s debut cookbook has something for everyone—from beginner bakers to the most experienced. It’s filled with 100 recipes, beautiful photography, and pro tips for improving bakes of all kinds. Recipes such as Seriously Sesame Brownies, Ricotta and Pistachio Cannoli Tart, and more await! Read more about Dan on page 93. bakedbydan.com Giuseppe’s Easy Bakes: Sweet Italian Treats Winner of the 2021 Great British Bake-Off, Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s second cookbook is filled with sweet yet simple Italian bakes he grew up eating and creating with his baker father. Along with vivid photos and detailed explanations throughout, you’ll find rustic recipes such as Sbriciolata Alla Ciliegie (cherry crumble tart), Zaleti (polenta cookies with dried fruit), Cuor di Sicilia (sunken ricotta cake),…

One of the things we love about our baking community is learning about new recipes, like this cake. It was brought to our attention during a Baking School with Williams Sonoma class. When we asked class participants to share their favorite treats from their local bakeries, the comments flooded in, and dozens of people mentioned the same thing: Burnt Almond Torte. We couldn’t wait to research the recipe. In 1970, after attending a national baking conference, Henry Prantl, founder of Prantl’s Bakery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was inspired by a cake baking demonstration by a baker from Anaheim, California. At this time, almond farms in the area had a surplus of product, and the Almond Board of California was encouraging bakers to use almonds in their recipes. Prantl returned to Pittsburgh…

POWERED BY Red Star® Yeast YEASTED BAVARIAN PLUM CAKE Makes 1 (13x9-inch) cake Known as pflaumenkuchen or zwetschgenkuchen depending on what variety of plums are used, this coffee cake-meets-flatbread is popular throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and it’s frequently served with a cup of strong coffee for breakfast, a sweet wine for dessert, or a spiced beer for an afternoon snack. Peaches, plumcots, and apricots all work well in place of plums. Dough: 1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar1 teaspoon (3 grams) active dry yeast*1 teaspoon (1 gram) lemon zest½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt¼ cup (60 grams) warm whole milk (120°F/49°C to 130°F/54°C)1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, cubed…

BLUEBERRY CROISSANT MUFFINS Makes 9 muffins These tall, extravagant morning buns are comprised of crispy, flaky croissant dough that’s rolled, cut, and baked to beautiful heights using popover pans. They’re coated in blueberry sugar and generously filled with luscious blueberry curd, adding a delightful texture and a burst of blueberry flavor. Unlike traditional croissant doughs that use a butter block, or beurrage, this recipe incorporates the butter into the dough. Then it proceeds with folding the dough, making it come together quickly and roll out beautifully. It is essential to use European-style butter as it contains a higher percentage of fat and less water content, which results in a creamier, decadent taste and is crucial in developing the dough’s flavor. Dough: ⅓ cup (80 grams) warm water, 110°F (43°C) to…

CHEWY OATMEAL-RAISIN COOKIES Makes 18 large cookies These grown-up–portioned treats bake up soft from edge to edge and will stay that way for several days thanks to moisture-attracting brown sugar and soft raisins in the cookie dough. Feel free to add a handful of chopped nuts if you like. ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened¾ cup (165 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract2 cups (180 grams) old-fashioned oats1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon¾ teaspoon (3.75 grams) baking soda½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking powder1 cup (128 grams) raisins 1. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer…

BAKERY-STYLE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS Makes 12 muffins Editor-in-chief Brian Hart Hoffman has long been a fan of Michelle Lopez of Hummingbird High and her techniques for fruit-filled, high-rising muffins, which influenced our creation of these dreamy muffins: a heaping helping of both whole and smashed fresh berries, lemon zest and juice for brightness, turbinado sugar for a crunchy top, sour cream and oil for a moist crumb, and a gorgeously domed top. 3 cups (376 grams) all-purpose flour, divided1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder1½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar1 cup (240 grams) sour cream3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted¼ cup (56 grams) neutral oil1 tablespoon (3 grams) lemon zest2 tablespoons (30 grams) fresh lemon juice2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla…

Do you get our newsletter, PreHeat? These weekly emails are the best way to stay current with all things Bake from Scratch. Subscribe now at bakefromscratch.com/newsletter-signup. baking school You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to become a better baker. Join Bake from Scratch and Willliams Sonoma live on Monday nights for our online Baking School classes. Each class is devoted to one or two recipes so you can see the entire process from start to finish while being able to chat virtually with Brian Hart Hoffman, guest instructors, and other attendees. Plus, you gain access to a private Facebook group for Baking School participants. Purchase tickets at williams-sonoma.squadup.com. baking retreats Don’t miss our fall and winter baking retreats! Join us October 4–7 in the Bake from…

When did your love of cooking and baking begin? Judy Kahn: My mom was an amazing cook and very talented. She would occasionally cater small parties, and by the time I was 12, she put me in charge of making cream puffs and éclairs. The process of learning about food at a young age, being exposed to cooking, and how my mom would bring the family together with food made a lasting impression on me. I inherited her love of cooking, baking, and the love of feeding people. What inspired you and your daughters to start My Back Kitchen? JK: A lot of my mother’s recipes lived in her head. When I moved out of the house, I would be in the middle of cooking and say, “Mom, mine just…

There’s nothing quite like the taste of a freshly picked blueberry. Its skin’s deep, midnight-blue hue is captivating, and its delicate juices effortlessly burst from its plump, soft flesh. As a little girl growing up in Louisiana, I spent almost every twilight during early summer on my grandparents’ back porch, watching the fireflies begin to pirouette under a sprawling oak tree as I sat with a seafoam green bowl filled with freshly picked blueberries still warm from the sun. A simple swathe of softly whipped cream kissed with vanilla and lemon zest nestled on top of the blueberries, perfectly complementing their juices and adding to their complexity. The lavender sky with gray clouds faded into darkness, and with it, the closing of another summer day. The pleasure of making blueberry…

RED VELVET TUXEDO CAKE Makes 1 (8-inch) cake I make a red velvet cake every year, and this is my new favorite version! Called a tuxedo cake because of its alternating dark and light layers, this recipe is a showstopper. It’s perfect for any celebratory event but also a delicious treat that is truly ice cream’s best friend. Vanilla layers: 2½ cups (313 grams) all-purpose flour1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt¾ cup (170 grams) salted butter, room temperature3 large eggs (150 grams)½ cup (120 grams) whole milk¼ cup (56 grams) vegetable oil¼ cup (60 grams) sour cream2 teaspoons (12 grams) vanilla bean paste Red velvet layers: 2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour1⅔ cups (333 grams)…

CIABATTA ROLLS Makes 8 rolls The large, open crumb that’s characteristic of ciabatta bread comes from a high hydration level in the dough as well as a poolish, which is a type of preferment (a fermentation starter or, sometimes, a “mother dough”) that gives bread a slightly nutty flavor and thin crust. Pile these rolls high with salami, provolone, and other Italian ingredients for perfect panini! Poolish: 1¼ cups plus 3 tablespoons (183 grams) bread flour¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (195 grams) water (70°F/21°C)2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour1/16 teaspoon instant yeast Dough: 1 cup (240 grams) water (60°F/16°C)2 tablespoons (28 grams) olive oil½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) instant yeast2½ cups (318 grams) bread flour½ cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting1 tablespoon (9 grams) kosher salt 1. For…

Butterfly Bakery, Sable Fessler The mission of this LGBTQIA+-owned and -operated bakery in Nebraska is to share kindness and create a welcoming environment for all. The brightly colored walls and butterfly-themed decor add to the warm and safe atmosphere of the bakery, to which baker Sable Fessler attests. Butterfly Bakery offers a wide assortment of pastries, cakes and cupcakes, wedding cakes, cookies, and more, as well as decorating classes. The team also puts their motto of “Baking the change by creating edible art, embracing our community, and normalizing queer culture,” into action; through The Butterfly Effect, the bakery’s community service initiative, Sable and other team members make weekly donations to local food banks and partner with other local nonprofits to multiply their efforts and continue to make people happy through…

TURTLE-GLAZED BOUCHONS Makes 8 bouchons These luxurious brownie-like cakes are named after the French word for “cork,” bouchon, due to their oversize resemblance. Comprised of a trio of chocolates and topped with a generous drizzle of nutty caramel sauce, these desserts have a gooey, slightly saucy center that practically melts in your mouth and tastes just like turtle candies. 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour¾ cup (64 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted3 ounces (85 grams) dark chocolate, chopped3 ounces (85 grams) milk chocolate, chopped2 ounces (57 grams) finely chopped toasted pecans*Garnish: chopped toasted pecans 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray 8 wells…

WEDDING CAKE COOKIE LAYER CAKE Makes 1 (8-inch) cake Wedding Cake Sandwich Cookies (recipe on page 96)Wedding Cake Buttercream (recipe on page 96)Garnish: rainbow sprinkles 1. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. 2. Prepare Wedding Cake Sandwich Cookies through step 2. Divide dough between prepared pans (about 582 grams each), gently pressing dough into bottom of each pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. 3. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 4. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. 5. Spoon Wedding Cake Buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star piping tip (Ateco #826). 6. Place 1 cooled…

As much as I bake, there are times when I find myself craving flavors from my childhood and sneaking into the snack/cookie aisle of the grocery store to satisfy that craving. Then I think to myself, “If only there were from-scratch recipes for these beloved bites.” Well, bakers, we did it! We cracked the code on some of the most nostalgic cookies and snacks. Your inner child will thank you for baking the cookies starting on page 83. There’s also another dialogue in my head that I wish younger Brian had known… and that is “You are beautifully you, and you will be OK, celebrated, and loved and shine that love to others.” I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and in the pages that follow,…

With a range of kitchen thermometers available, you can find the ideal tool to suit your needs and help you become a better baker—guaranteed. CANDY/DEEP-FRY THERMOMETERS Candy, or deep-fry, thermometers are sturdy, classic glass models or probe-style thermometers that clip to the side of your pot to precisely monitor temperatures. Just remember to keep the thermometer from touching the bottom of your pot or skillet, which will give you an inaccurate reading. INFRARED THERMOMETER Infrared thermometers use a laser to measure the surface temperature of your bakeware, grills, and cooking oil precisely and instantly. Point the thermometer at your target and press the trigger; the digital display will show you the temperature. OVEN THERMOMETER An oven thermometer is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to help your recipes…

Rebekah Peppler’s love affair with the intimacy cultivated around eating significantly shaped her culinary journey, which was established as a child in Wisconsin. “My love for cooking and baking began early and at home in family kitchens. My grandmother in particular is a prolific baker. The Tarte à la Raspberry in Le Sud is loosely modeled after the raspberry dessert she made for my birthday every year. The first time I had a raspberry in the South of France—tiny, sweet, sun-warm—I was directly back in my childhood summers spent picking and immediately eating raspberries from the bramble in her huge garden.” Her love for cooking and baking grew as she earned a degree in pastry from the French Culinary Institute in New York and decided to move to the sparkling…

COCONUT CAKE WITH PASSION FRUIT CURD Make 1 (6-cup) cake A trifecta of coconut from extract, flakes, and milk imbues the dense, pound cake-like crumb with intense flavor that is topped with refreshingly tart passion fruit. Using frozen fruit speeds up your prep time and ensures you can enjoy this cake year-round if fresh is not available. ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature½ teaspoon (2 grams) coconut extract½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour½ cup (42 grams) sweetened flaked coconut¾ teaspoon (3.75 grams) baking powder¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt¼ cup (60 grams) whole buttermilk¼ cup (60 grams) canned unsweetened coconut milkPassion Fruit Curd (recipe follows)Garnish: toasted sweetened flaked coconut 1. Preheat oven to…

With a crumbly crunch cutting its creamy texture and a pop of tart balancing its sweetness, a single bite of Key lime pie could have your taste buds dancing the rumba. As easy as it is delicious—a simple blend of sweetened condensed milk, Key lime juice, and egg yolks—the treat is an American classic, a Southern favorite, the official state pie of Florida, and the official dessert of Key West. There’s no shortage of love for the confection that relies on its namesake citrus for its signature zip, but competing narratives of its background bring a bit of sourness to the table, too. For decades, it was widely accepted that the pie was first made in Key West, the southernmost island in the Florida Keys, where Key limes—distinct from larger,…

WINDOWPANE TEST Kneading dough to develop the gluten structure is an essential part of the majority of yeasted dough recipes. But how do you know when you’ve kneaded enough? Enter the windowpane test: Pinch or cut—but don’t tear, because this damages the gluten strands—a small, walnut-size piece of dough. Then gently and slowly pull and rotate the dough out from its center. If the dough is properly kneaded, you will be able to stretch it—without tearing—until it’s thin and translucent. If it tears or breaks during the stretch, give your dough another minute of work and then test again. If the dough is too hard to stretch, it’s been overmixed. FINGER DENT TEST After your dough has rested the amount of time according to your recipe, lightly flour your fingertip…