dessert
I loved candy bars as a kids, and my own children are no different. Twix is a perennial favorite (come on, you get two in one package!). I'm sure the taste hasn't changed significantly, but they don't create the same reaction in my adult
bread
I love to make quick breads like banana bread. They are an easy way to use up leftover ingredients and require minimal effort. The main downsides I’ve run into are the long baking times (often an hour or more) and the disagreements about the appropriate add ins. Nuts or
dessert
There's no birthday cake more classic than the golden cake with chocolate frosting. Everyone seems to like it, yet finding a good reliable recipe has been a challenge. I have had consistently good luck with King Arthur Flour's Golden Vanilla Cake, topped with a chocolate ganache
flavorings
Order from a scam artist online and you may find yourself with a box filled with rocks instead of what you had ordered. The suspicious spice shopper looking for kala namak could think they had been swindled at first glance.This moderately obscure Indian ingredient adds a sulfurous kick typically
dessert
Cinnamon rolls are popular in my household, and for good reason. Sweet, soft, and fragrant with cinnamon, and perfect with a tangy cream cheese frosting. I wondered how essential cinnamon would be to the balance. What about another classic flavor, like chocolate? I prepared my usual rolls, but divided the
bread
I used to attribute the dark color of pumpernickel to its rye flour, but it is in fact artificial, typically contributed by added cocoa powder or caramel color. Even knowing this secret, the rich dark color combined with the slight bitterness of rye adds a certain air of sophistication. Why
bread
Amateur bread bakers often struggle to create a crisp crust that gives way to a soft crumb beneath, using high-hydration dough and various techniques to infuse steam into the early stages of baking. Recently, I became aware of a shortcut that uses a crunchy topping to achieve something similar. While
bread
One of the best aspects of my buttermilk bread dough is it's versatility. It works equally well in loaves, rolls, and even cinnamon rolls. It's a classic, soft white bread with a bit of sweetness and richness, but no one would confuse it with a cake
bread
Bagel dough is typically characterized by low hydration dough, with a hydration (weight of water/weight of flour) typically hovering around 60%. This results in a dense texture that many associate with bagels, but can make the dough hard to work with.I made a batch my traditional bagels, but
bread
While I prefer alkali-boiled bagels, I have this lingering feeling that their crust is a bit softer than the ones I boil in neutral water. In an attempt to (excuse the term) neutralize this effect, I cooked my latest batch of baking soda boiled bagels for 30 minutes instead of
dessert
Skillet lasagna is a weeknight favorite in my household, but one skillet's worth typically involves half a typical 1 pound container of ricotta. What do do with the other half? Lemon ricotta cookies are an easy solution. I based this version off a recipe from the New York
bread
Homemade bagels can require some effort, but offer substantial payback for picky eaters. I have hopped from recipe to recipe over the years, each better than the previous. My current favorite comes from Serious Eats. I have tweaked this version several times with slightly different results, but all varieties are