Coconut-Cardamom Baked Doughnuts

Recipe: Hetal Vasavada in Bon Appetit magazine. Makes 12.

DOUGHNUTS:
1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
3 Tbsp plus 1.5 tsp (44 g) brown sugar
3 Tbsp (42 g) avocado or other neutral vegetable oil
2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/3 c canned unsweetened coconut milk 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 c plus 5 tsp (233 g) all-purpose flour

GLAZE:
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/3 c (147 g) powdered sugar
1/4 c canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly grease doughnut pans with butter wrappers (or coat with nonstick spray).

Whisk sugars, vegetable oil and butter in a large bowl. Add eggs, coconut milk and vanilla; whisk again to combine. Add flour; top with baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom and nutmeg. Mix with a rubber spatula until no lumps or dry streaks remain.

Spoon into prepared pan, filling each well about three-quarters full. Tap pan on counter 2 or 3 times to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until tester comes out clean, 9–11 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

While doughnuts bake, toast coconut in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 3–5 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl; set aside. 

Whisk powdered sugar, coconut milk and cardamom in a shallow bowl until no lumps remain. Add water by tablespoonfuls if glaze is too thick.

While doughnuts are still slightly warm, dip into glaze, then shredded coconut, to coat one side. Return to rack as you go. Let sit 10–15 minutes before serving.

Doughnuts can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.  

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I like to add crystallized ginger to this. My kids prefer it without. Either way, your house will smell amazing.

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 cup Sucanat
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin
3 c white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/3 c milk
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c miniature chocolate chips
1/4 c crystallized ginger
2 Tbsp sanding sugar

Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then pumpkin, beating until incorporated. Add dry ingredients (batter will be stiff), then milk and vanilla to loosen. Divide between two buttered loaf pans. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until done. Cool at least 10 minutes in pans before removing. Slice when cool.

Pear Cardamom Streusel Coffeecake

Sweden is one of the world's top consumers of cardamom. This fragrant coffeecake is an homage to Nordic baking.

1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 c flour
1 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/3 c sour cream
2 eggs
2 large pears, cored, peeled and thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9" square baking pan.

In a small mixing bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Add butter, mixing until combined, then work in flour until mixture is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. Add additional flour by tablespoons as necessary, taking care not to let the mixture get too dry. Set streusel aside.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, ginger and salt. Mix briefly to combine. Add butter; mix until crumbly. Add sour cream and eggs; beat on medium speed until mixture comes together into a batter. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds or until batter looks cohesive.

Scrape batter into prepared pan. Fan pears evenly over batter, leaving a small margin around edges. Sprinkle streusel atop cake, shaking pan gently to distribute into corners. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 35-45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake

I first tasted this at the blessing ceremony my friends gave me for my second pregnancy. I've reproduced it here exactly as written out by my friend Julie, who made it for me in my own kitchen. 

1 cup dried Montmorency sour cherries (about 5 ounces)
1/4 cup brandy
2 cups Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
6 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fine-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

PREPARATION

In a bowl* macerate cherries in brandy, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours, or until brandy is almost absorbed. (*It's great if you stick the cherries and brandy in a Ziploc, the night before you bake, and just shake them every so often. --ed.)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line bottom of a buttered 10- by 2-inch round cake pan with wax paper or parchment paper and butter the paper.

In a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (or in a microwave oven! --ed.) melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat (or microwave! --ed.) and cool mixture.

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Fold in cocoa powder until combined well (be careful not to overmix).

In another bowl with cleaned beaters (or in the same bowl if you do this step first --ed.) beat whites until they hold soft peaks and beat in remaining sugar in a slow stream, beating until meringue just holds stiff peaks. Stir about one fourth meringue into chocolate mixture to lighten and fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Fold in cherries.

Transfer batter to pan, smoothing top, and bake cake in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until center is just set. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of pan an invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

If ever a cake existed that honored women, mothers, goddesses and girlfriends as such, this is it.

Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

These easy muffins bake up extremely tender, buttery and sweet.

1/2 c coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 large eggs
6 Tbsp butter, melted
6 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 c frozen blueberries

clear sanding sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Grease wells of a standard 12-cup muffin pan, or line with lightly greased muffin papers. Rinse blueberries; pat dry on paper towels. Sift together coconut flour and baking powder; mix until well blended. 

Melt butter in microwave. Stir  in honey. Add eggs, salt, and vanilla and almond extracts; beat until smooth.

Using a whisk, mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until batter is free of lumps. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Top with sanding sugar. Bake 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to a rack to cool. Makes 12.

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

I served this cake tonight still warm from the oven, with warm glaze on top. It might have been better if it had had time to sit, but that said, I have never seen a dessert go so fast. If you don't have access to Meyer lemons, feel free to use a more commonplace variety.

For the cake:

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/3 c sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Meyer lemon zest
2 c unbleached all-purpose flour1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

For the glaze:
1/3 c Meyer lemon juice1/3 c sugar
2 Tbsp limoncello or other lemon liqueur (optional)

Butter and flour a 9" loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter in bowl of stand mixer for 30 seconds, until smooth. Add sugar; beat 3-5 minutes, until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated. Add vanilla and lemon zest, beating until incorporated.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to bowl in four parts, beating after each addition. Scrape batter into loaf pan; smooth top. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until top is deeply browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes.

While cake is cooling, make glaze. Bring sugar and lemon juice to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil 2-3 minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in liqueur, if using.

Run a knife around sides of cake in pan to loosen. Remove cake from pan; slice. Return slices to pan. Pour glaze over cake, cover and let stand 1 hour or overnight. Slice and serve.

Florentine Rolls

I love the garlic-herb pizza dough from Trader Joe's, and had long been thinking it would make a tasty roll. Tonight I proved myself correct. Next time I think I'll lay pesto down under the spinach, just to gild the lily. Hey, perhaps they'll even make an appearance on this year's Thanksgiving table.

1 1-lb package Trader Joe's garlic-herb pizza dough
6 ozs frozen spinach
1/2 c crumbled feta (get the good stuff)
2 Tbsp grated Romano
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. On a Silpat or sheet of parchment paper, pat pizza dough into a 10"x12" square. Cover dough with spinach, feta and Romano, leaving a 2" border along one short end. Roll dough toward you as with cinnamon rolls; slice in 12 pieces. Place each piece in the depression of a muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cream Scones with Dark Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger

I needed a good scone recipe for a potluck breakfast I attended this morning, but wasn't sure where to start. Meanwhile, my mind kept heading back to a favorite biscuit recipe I've been making for years. I kept thinking, "I wish I could make scones as good as those biscuits." Finally I decided to just alter the biscuit recipe and see what happened. The results were delectable, providing a rich and tender crumb with virtually no work. I had nothing to take home but an empty container.

Please note that I made mine two-bite-size for the potluck; if you make yours larger, increase the cooking time accordingly.



1 c whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
3/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp double-acting baking powder (I prefer Rumford)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c good-quality miniature chocolate chips
1/3 c finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp coarse sparkling sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). Stir to combine. Add chocolate chips and ginger; stir briefly to incorporate. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour in cream. Stir until just combined, handling as little as possible.

Turn dough out onto a clean countertop. Pat into a square about 3/4" thick. Cut square into 16 pieces, then cut each piece diagonally to form small triangles. Brush tops of scones with egg wash; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Using a flexible metal spatula or bench knife, transfer scones to a half-sheet pan, placing them at least 1 inch apart. Bake for 11 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve warm.

Peach Frangipane Tart

It saddens me to report that I have no photo of this dessert to share with you all. You'll just have to trust me when I say it was as beautiful as it was delicious.

For the crust:
1 1/3 c unbleached flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 450. In a food processor or bowl, combine flour and sugar. Add butter; process until fine crumbs form. Add egg yolk; process until dough holds together. Firmly pat into a ball. Press dough evenly over bottom and up sides of a 10" tart pan with removable rim. Trim and finish edges. Dock all over with fork. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes. Cool crust on rack.

For the frangipane filling:
3/4 c sliced almonds
1/3 c sugar
1 Tbsp unbleached flour
2 Tbsp Amaretto liqueur
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg

Reduce oven temperature to 400. Finely grind slivered almonds in processor. Add flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons amaretto and butter; puree. Add egg; process until well blended. Pour into crust. Bake until filling begins to brown and is springy to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack.

If necessary, tart can stand at this point for a few hours; continue with recipe when close to serving time (2 hours or less).

For the peach topping:
1/2 cup peach or apricot preserves
1 Tbsp Amaretto liqueur
5 large peaches, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped pistachios

Combine preserves and Amaretto in heavy small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to melt preserves. Boil until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.

Brush some preserves over tart filling. Arrange peaches atop preserves in concentric overlapping circles. Brush with remaining preserves. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Store at room temperature.)

To serve, cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into three pieces. Serve slices of tart with vanilla ice cream alongside.

Pumpkin-Crystallized Ginger Drop Scones

I intended to make pumpkin muffins this morning, but decided scones sounded better. Of course these had to have chocolate chips in them too since I'm making them for kids (as well as chocoholics). I used mini chips and chopped my ginger into bits roughly the same size. The subtle heat of the ginger bits complemented the smooth creaminess of the chocolate beautifully - so much so, in fact, that we ended up in the Land of No Leftover Scones. Recipe adapted from the King Arthur Flour blog.

2 3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1/3 c Sucanat
1 Tbsp aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 stick cold butter, cut into smallish cubes
1/2 c finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 c miniature chocolate chips
1 15-oz can pumpkin
2 eggs
coarse sugar or cinnamon-sugar blend

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Work in butter with a pastry cutter (or in a food processor) just until mixture is unevenly crumbly (some larger chunks of butter may remain unincorporated). Stir in ginger and chocolate.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin. Pour atop dry ingredients; stir to combine.

Scoop in 1/4-cup dollops onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between scoops to allow for rise. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar. If time allows, place baking sheet in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to firm butter and create a higher rise. Bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Pumpkin Muffins

I heard the weather is supposed to drop out of the high 90s this weekend (finally). Perhaps it's pumpkin time...

1 1/2 c white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp baking powder
6 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 c dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1/3 c water or milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Combine dry ingredients; whisk thoroughly. Beat butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Beat in sugar gradually until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat eggs in 1 at a time. Add pumpkin; beat on low speed just until blended. Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with milk/vanilla mixture in 2 parts, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Stir in chocolate chips if using. Bake in muffin pans at 350 for 25 minutes or until muffins test done.