Peach Crisp (Small Batch)

 

Peach season is still lingering on and I am not at all mad about it. Baskets of ripe peaches are starting to be edged out by fresh picked apples at the Farmer's Market, but those beautiful, sweet, juicy fruits continue to compete for my attention. Summer might be considered peak peach season, but lucky for us here in the midwest it continues through late September. And what better way to say goodbye to summer and to kick off the start of the autumnal baking season than with a luscious, jammy Peach Crisp topped with a buttery, crunchy, spiced, toasted oat and pecan streusel. The kind of a dessert designed to tantalize our senses and ease us into those cozy fall vibes. From its' aroma to its' flavor packed deliciousness, this rustic, seasonal dessert is an indulgence of the senses and the epitome of pure bliss.

Made in small pie dishes (or ramekins), the recipe for this mouthwatering, shareable Peach Crisp was created to satisfy the sweet tooths of a minimum of two, maximum of four people. Making it one of those perfect, impressive small dinner party desserts. Aside from something chocolate, is there anything better than ending a great dinner than with a freshly baked seasonal dessert? I say there isn't. Especially if it's this Peach Crisp.

Topping the warm Peach Crisp with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream or bowl of freshly whipped cream takes it to a whole other level of deliciousness. Is there any easier way to transform a simple, rustic dessert into something divinely decadent than by simply topping it with ice cream or whipped cream? I say there isn't. 

This is technically not one of those make ahead desserts. Meaning it cannot be completely assembled in the morning and baked later in the day. While the oat-pecan streusel can be made early in the day (then covered and chilled in the refrigerator), the peach filling should be mixed together right before you are ready to assemble and bake in the oven. The reason for this being is the filling will become much too juicy to bake up properly if allowed to sit. With regard to the peaches, you can slice or cut them up peeled or unpeeled. Slice or cut them up into at least 1/4" thick pieces. I first sliced them, then cut the slices in half.

While I think this Peach Crisp is best served warm rather than at room temperature, you can put it in the oven right before you sit down for dinner. If kept covered when it comes out of the oven, it will retain its' warmth for at least twenty or so minutes. 

The baking time for the Peach Crisp ranges from 45-50 minutes or when the top is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling along the edges of the dish. Allowing the baked crisp to rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving helps to further thicken up the luscious peach filling.

For those of you who are peach crisp purists and want to savor only the flavors of the peaches, cinnamon, toasted pecans, oats, and brown sugar, by all means enjoy it without the addition of ice cream or freshly whipped cream. But for those of you who love a dessert with even more contrasting flavors and textures, top this peach crisp with only the best vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream. 

I strongly encourage you to binge on peaches while freshly harvested ones can still be found at the Farmer's Market or in the grocery stores. Whether you are making a Tomato and Stoned Fruit Salad with Honey Herbed Vinaigrette, a Tomato, Peach and Burrata Caprese Salad with Basil Drizzle, or a Grilled Peach, Burrata, and Arugala Salad with Balsamic Drizzle, make certain you find time to make this crowd pleasing, scrumptious Peach Crisp at least once, if not twice! Let's all enjoy every last ripe peach while we still can!

Recipe

Peach Crisp (Small Batch)

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (440-450g) ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks or slices (from approximately 2 very large or 3 medium sized peaches (Note: weigh the peaches after they have been peeled and pitted).

1/8 cup (16g) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

Pinch of Kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup (44g) all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

1/3 cup (29g) old-fashioned oats (not instant)

1/3 cup (48g) pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

Vanilla Ice Cream or freshly whipped cream for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Generously butter two 5" wide pie dishes or ramekins. Set aside. Note: If you only have 4" ramekins, make three crisps instead of two.

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the light brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, Kosher salt, unsalted butter, oats, and pecans. Use a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers to blend all of the ingredients into a crumble. Set aside.

3. In a medium-large bowl, combine the peaches, flour, sugar, Kosher salt, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir to combine.

4. Divide the peach mixture equally and spoon into the prepared baking dishes.

5. Divide the streusel topping mixture equally and spoon on top of the peach mixture.

6. Place the baking dishes on a baking sheet and insert into the preheated oven.

7. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the peach mixture is bubbling along the edges of the dish.

8. Remove from the oven. Let the peach crisps rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

9. Top each Peach Crisp with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Alternately serve the warm crisp with a side bowl of freshly whipped cream. Or serve plain!

10. Cover and chill any leftovers in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave. Leftovers will good for up to three days.

Notes: (1) The crisp topping can be made the day before. Cover and store in the refrigerator. (2) The peach mixture cannot be made early in the day or the day before as their juices will start to break down. Make the peach mixture just before you are ready to bake in the oven. (3) You can make with crisp with either peeled or unpeeled peaches. I took the majority of the peels off. Use ripe peaches when making this crisp. (4) You can freeze a baked Peach Crisp for up to two months. The crisp should be at room temperature before you wrap well in plastic wrap and a freezer bag. Thaw the crisp overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350 degree (F) oven for 20 minutes. (5) You can double this recipe and bake in an 8" round baking dish (ceramic or glass). Baking time will still be 45-50 minutes. (5) I toast my pecans in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 7-8 minutes or until I begin smelling their aroma.

Yeasted Waffles

Waffle lovers can be very particular about which ones they will or will not eat, which restaurants they will and will not order them at, and which ones are the best. But given their variations in taste and texture, you will be hard pressed to find a commonly shared opinion on what makes some waffles better than others or which is the best kind of waffle. But that isn't going to stop me from trying to influence your opinion. Or rather I should say having your opinion mirror mine. One bite of a thick, crispy, fluffy on the inside, yeasted waffle and you may never want to eat any other kind of waffle again. Because next to Liege Waffles, these Yeasted Waffles are ones serious waffle lovers will unanimously declare are the 'best'. And everyone else who had never before felt the need to be either persnickety or passionate about a waffle will suddenly experience a best, profoundly perfect waffle epiphany. 

 

These Yeasted Waffles are everything you want in your breakfast, lunch and/or dinner waffle. These aren't your doctored up package waffle mix waffles or your pancake batter poured into a waffle maker waffles. No, these will give you all the feels of a yeasted doughnut, a thick slice of brioche, or a Belgian style waffle. They are crispy, airy, golden, hefty, incredibly delicious waffles. They are so good you might briefly consider foregoing topping them with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh fruit. But dismiss that thought and enjoy them even more by adding on your favorite topping.

Unlike Liege Wafflesm which are made with yeast but require overnight proofing and rising, these Yeasted Waffles come together in about 15 minutes. Which makes them one of the easiest, most impressive breakfast dishes you can make for your family and friends. You might prefer to wait until the weekend to make them, but they are simple enough to make for a weekday breakfast, lunch or dinner.

There are no hard to find, expensive ingredients in this yeasted waffle recipe. In fact, this rather economical recipe actually looks and tastes expensive. With the exception of the instant yeast, all of the ingredients are probably ones you already keep in your refrigerator or pantry. 

One of the keys to making these scrumptious waffles is having a good quality waffle maker. I've had my All-Clad Waffle Maker for years and consider it to be a really great purchase. Yes, they can be a bit pricey but they are good for more than just making homemade yeasted or Liege waffles (e.g., Cinnamon Roll Waffles)!

There is just enough sugar (3 Tablespoons) in the batter to feed the yeast and add just the right amount of sweetness to the waffle. Adding yeast to the waffle batter guarantees a waffle with a deeper flavor, crunchier exterior, and fluffier center. It's a game-changing ingredient!

The milk, yeast and sugar mixture needs only five minutes of rest time. When it's added to all of the other ingredients, the batter then needs only another ten minutes of rest time. Which means in fifteen minutes, you are ready to start making the waffles. 

The recipe makes 8 to 9 four inch waffles. Because these are such hefty waffles, a serving of two waffles is more than enough for most. 

Cooking time for each batch of waffles ranges from 5-7 minutes. If you preheat your oven to 200 degrees (F), you can keep the waffles warm until you are finished making the entire batch. Note: If you don't want to turn the oven on, you can reheat the waffles in a toaster.

The number of topping options for these Yeasted Waffles are almost endless. From butter, to freshly whipped cream, to pure maple syrup, to seasonal fruits, to fruit compotes, to fruit sauces, to fried chicken, you will never tire of making or eating them!

For those of you who live alone or in a two-person home, you might think 'these sound great but what will I do with the leftovers?'. The answer to that is 'you freeze them in a ziplock freezer bag'. So on those days when you have a waffle craving or are too busy to assemble the batter, take one or possibly two out of the freezer, put it/them in the toaster and enjoy. These irresistibly scrumptious Yeasted Waffles really will taste as good as the day you made them! 

Recipe

Yeasted Waffles

Serves 4-5

Makes 8-9 four inch waffles

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups whole milk

3 Tablespoons (45g) granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant yeast

2 cups (270g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

Serve with freshly whipped cream, butter, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, fresh peaches or fried chicken

Directions

1. In a microwave proof measuring cup or bowl, heat milk in the microwave until it reaches 110 degrees (F). This will take about 1 1/2-2 minutes.

2. Add in the sugar and the instant yeast. Whisk to combine. Let rest for 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and Kosher salt.

4.When the milk-yeast mix has rested for 5 minutes, add it to the flour mixture along with the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.Whisk until mixture it's almost smooth. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

5. Heat your waffle maker in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.

6. Lightly coat or spray the waffle maker with canola or vegetable oil spray.

7. Cook waffles until golden, crisp and firm (approximately 5-7 minutes depending on waffle size and type of waffle maker). Note: I made 4" square waffles in my All-Clad Waffle maker.

8. Gently whisk batter between batches.

9. Serve waffles immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree (F) heated oven. Or rewarm the waffles in a toaster. Serve the waffles with whipped butter, whipped cream, pure maple syrup, and/or an assortment of fruit.

10. Store any leftover waffles in ziplock freezer bag. When ready to eat, reheat in the toaster.

Notes: (1) Instead of serving the waffles immediately, let them cool. Store in the freezer in sealed freezer zip lock bags. Take them out when you get a waffle craving. They re-crisp up beautifully in a toaster. (2) Make sure to use rapid rise instant yeast (not regular yeast). One envelope of instant yeast did not yield 2 1/4 teaspoons. I used one packet and a little more from a second packet. Rather than measuring out the instant yeast on a teaspoon, it is much easier to weigh it.

Apple Fritter Loaf

As the month of August ends, apple season begins. A much welcome sign foreshadowing the arrival of fall and the return of applesauce making and the apple baking season. In the next couple of weeks we will take a drive up to our favorite apple orchard to pick a couple of bushels of Honey Crisp Apples. In addition to making Homemade Applesauce, there will be a number of apple desserts and savory bites going into rotation. Joining the Apple Crisp, Apple Fritter Skillet Cake, Apple Fritter Cake, Caramel Apple Dutch Babies, and Cinnamon and Apple Crumble family this year will be this scrumptious, spiced, moist Apple Fritter Loaf. Having all of the flavors of apple fritters but taking only half of the work makes this the easiest, most crowd pleasing way to satisfy an apple fritter craving. 

Other than warm cinnamon sugar coated Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts, there may be no other dessert better at capturing our cravings for the seasonal flavor of apples. When chunks of apples tossed in cinnamon and brown sugar are combined with layers of a sweet brown sugar-cinnamon mixture and a buttery, moist cake, the result is the most flavorful, gorgeous quick bread. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a mid-day snack, a thick slice of this Apple Fritter Loaf may be one of the most tempting, irresistible, droolworthy things you can make for your family and friends. 

Other than allowing time for your butter and eggs to come to room temperature (I take mine out the night before), this isn't one of those recipes requiring a significant amount of preparation time. The entire loaf comes together in less than thirty minutes (maybe even closer to twenty) and bakes for somewhere between 55 and 65 minutes. 

In addition to the Honey Crisp Apples, the cinnamon and dark brown sugar are what makes this Apple Fritter so incredibly flavorful. The dark brown sugar gives this loaf a depth of flavor (with nots of caramel and toffee) light brown sugar just can't.While many will say it's okay to swap out the dark brown sugar with light brown sugar, I am very reluctant to tell you it's okay in this particular recipe. 

The layers of apples and dark brown sugar mixtures is what gives the loaf its' gorgeous dark stripes. In order to achieve a loaf with discernible layers of lusciousness, each component of the loaf is divided in half. 

Baking time for the Apple Fritter Loaf is somewhere between 55 and 65 minutes. For that hour your kitchen will be swimming blissfully in the heavenly, intoxicating aromas of cinnamon, apples and dark brown sugar. 

The key to making the perfect loaf is to neither over nor under bake this loaf. Begin checking for doneness at 50 minutes by inserting a long toothpick or skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with very few crumbs, your loaf is done. Allow the loaf to rest in the pan for thirty minutes before you drizzle on the icing.

The confectionary icing truly is the literal and proverbial icing on the loaf. The sweetness and creaminess of the icing compliments and contrasts perfectly with the dense, spiced loaf. 

Cut this Apple Fritter into thick, hefty (almost 3/4") slices for the absolutely best eating experience. This is not one of those cut into thin slice kind of loaf. 

Bringing on the smells and flavors of fall in late August is one of the best decisions you can make! Sure you can wait until September to make this Apple Fritter Loaf if you are one of those delayed gratification kind of people. But there is much to be said about living in the moment. And the moment of apple season has arrived.

Recipe

Apple Fritter Loaf

Makes one loaf

Ingredients

Apple Mixture

2 cups (1 pound/454g) Honey Crisp Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into a small 1/4'-1/3" dice (about 4 small or 2 large apples) - See notes

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sugar Mixture

1/2 cup (100g) dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Batter

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (134g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Pinch of nutmeg

1/3 cup whole milk

1/3 cup (80g) sour cream

Icing

3/4 cup (90g) confectionary sugar, sifted

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon whole milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a metal 8" x 4"pan with parchment paper. Butter paper and sides of pan not covered by the paper. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the apples, dark brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the dark brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter for approximately one minute.

5. Add in the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes).

6. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

7. Beat in the vanilla.

8. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Kosher salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

9 .In a small-medium bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream.

10. Add half of the flour mixture to the batter. Mix until blended.

11. Add half of milk-sour cream mixture to the batter. Mix until blended.

12. Repeat adding in the remaining flour and milk-sour cream mixture. Beat until well blended.

13. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.

14. Evenly top with half of the apple mixture. Note: Do not add the liquid released from the apples.

15. Evenly top with half of the sugar mixture.

16. Repeat with remaining batter, apples and sugar mixture.

17. Place the baking pan on a baking sheet. Insert into oven and bake for 55-65 minutes our until a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Note: My baking time was closer to 65 minutes and I rotated the pan midway through the baking process.

18. Remove from the oven. Let the Apple Fritter Loaf remain in the pan for 30 minutes.

19. Whisk together the icing ingredients (confectionary sugar, milk, vanilla and Kosher salt). Note: If your icing is too thick, add slightly more milk.

20. Remove the loaf from the pan. Drizzle the loaf with the icing.

21. Let the icing set and cake cool for another 30 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife.

22. Serve and enjoy. 

23. Store any leftover loaf in the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Note: The loaf was incredibly delicious on the day it was baked and equally, if not a tad more delicious the next day. So if you want to serve it for breakfast, you can make it the night before.

Notes: (1) Weight of the apples was before peeling and coring. (2) I love the flavor of baked Honey Crisp Apples. If you wanted a sweet, slightly tart Apple Fritter Loaf, use half Honey Crisp Apples and half Granny Smith Apples. But cut your Granny Smith apples into a slightly smaller dice.

Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

 

Two weeks ago I had my very first bake sale! The motivation for having the bake sale was to raise money for PAWS, my nephew's marathon charity. Our bake sale was hugely successful thanks in large part to the generosity of the runners in the marathon training running group. Next to spending an entire day baking and packaging everything up, deciding on what cookies and confections to make was my second biggest challenge. Our predictions on which items would sell out first completely missed the mark. In a last minute decision I decided to make two batches of the Levain Style Lemon Cookies. Turns out, those were the cookies that sold out first! I shouldn't have been surprised because there is something very appealing about a perfectly golden brown, humungous cookie. Which is why I decided I needed to create my version of Levain's Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies. 

In spite of having numerous recipes for chocolate chip cookies on the blog, only one other contains coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts. Additionally, the size, texture, taste, and look of these cookies are nothing like anything I have ever shared with you before. Had I brought these cookies to the bake sale, they might have given the Lemon Cookies a run for their money.

If chocolate chip cookie are one of your favorites, you absolutely want to have this almost too pretty to eat version in your repertoire. 

This version of a chocolate chip calls for using chocolate chips and not chopped chocolate. Buy either good quality semisweet or dark chocolate chips. Chips made by Guittard or Gharadelli are my favorites. 

The cookie recipe calls for two kinds of flour: all-purpose flour and cake flour. Cake flour when combined with all-purpose flour helps to create a more tender crumb, a melt in your mouth texture, and a thick without being cakey cookie. Unlike some other more traditional chocolate chip cookies, the dough is made with only one large egg and one large egg yolk. Save the extra egg white for your morning scrambled eggs. 

I used only light brown sugar, but you easily replace a couple of tablespoons of the light brown sugar with the dark brown sugar. Even a little bit of dark brown sugar will give your cookies a hint of molasses flavor.

Instead of dividing the dough into 8 equal portions, I divided it into 9 equal portions instead. The size of each baked cookie was still substantial enough. I would be reluctant to make these cookies any smaller as they would lose their 'Levain-style' look and eating experience.

The dough should be chilled for at least 60 to 90 minutes, however, it can also be chilled overnight. 

Baking the cookies at the slightly higher temperature of 375 degrees (F) helps to shock and prevent them from spreading too too much. You want the finished cookie to be hefty in appearance. 

The biggest challenge in making the cookies is determining their doneness. Particularly being careful in not under baking or over baking them. They should be golden brown along the edges and allowed to rest on the hot baking sheet for at least 10 minutes when they come out of the oven. If this is the first time making them, I recommend bake just one cookie to start. This will help you gauge the right amount of time they need to spend in the oven.

A light sprinkling of flaky sea salt on the balls of dough before they go into the oven is optional, but it helps to further ramp up the cookie's overall flavor.

Levain style cookies are my newest, latest obsession. And these Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies are my newest chocolate chip cookie obsession. No, I am not abandoning my favorite Jacques Torres Style Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. But if I wanted to sell, bring, or serve some 'eye-popping' chocolate chip cookies, I would make these Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies. They are as irresistible and impressive as they are delicious. To use an Olympic analogy, they are gold medal worthy cookies.

Recipe

Levain Style Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

Makes 9 humungous, gorgeous cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

2/3 cup (134g) light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 Tablespoon good quality vanilla

2 1/4 cups (293g) all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 cup (118g) cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

12 ounces (340g) semisweet chocolate chips (e.g., Guittard or Gharadelli)

1 1/4 cups (125g) walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

Flaky Sea Salt

Directions

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter for approximately 1 minute.

2. Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 4 minutes).

3. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat until well blended.

4.In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and Kosher salt. Add in the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Beat on low-medium speed until the dry ingredients are almost all incorporated.

5. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Mix until completely blended (and no white streaks of flour remain).

6. Roll in 9 balls, slightly more than 5 ounces (164-168g) each. Break each ball in half and press sides into each other to create a round ball with a top of the craggle-y edges.

7. Place balls of dough onto a platter or baking sheet. Cover and chill for 60-90 minutes or overnight.

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

9. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Note: You will bake only one sheet at a time (unless you have a double oven).

10. Place 4 or 5 balls of dough on a baking sheet, spacing more than 2 inches apart. Lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Note: Do not bake up more than 5 balls of dough on a single baking sheet.

11. Turn a baking sheet upside down. Place the baking sheet with the balls of dough on top of it. Insert both of them onto the middle rack of the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Note: Rotate the baking sheet midway through the baking process and check for doneness at the 16 minute mark.

12. Remove from the oven and let the cookies remain on the hot cookie sheet for at least 8 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

13. Bake the remaining cookie sheet.

14. Let the cookies cool before eating. Note: If you are gifting them or selling a bake sale, package the completely cooled cookies in a cellophane bag and tie rightly with ribbon or string. Do not wrap in 'plastic' bags as the cookies will lose their crispness.

15. Store the baked cookies at room temperature. Ideally, store them individually wrapped in a cellophane bag or waxed bag. To recreate the just out of the oven taste, reheat the cookies in the microwave at high for 8-10 seconds.

Notes: (1) There is another version of a Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookie. There are differences between that recipe and this one. Both are good, but I am partial to this one now. (2) To make a milk chocolate chip cookie version, eliminate the semisweet chocolate chips and walnuts. Replace with 16 ounces (453g) milk chocolate chips. I highly recommend using Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips. (3) Cookies that were chilled overnight baked up slightly faster than the ones chilled only for 60-90 minutes. (4) To toast your walnut halves, put them on a baking sheet and bake in.preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Transfer the toasted walnuts to a cutting board to cool before chopping.

Lettuce and Celery Salad w/ Blue Cheese Dressing

 

While channeling my inner Ansel Adams I took a black and white photo of myself with the Tetons in the background. Little did I know this rarely taken selfie would inspire treasured friends to send me a surprise gift containing all things in shades of grays. In addition to a vintage book of Ansel Adams photos, there was also a cookbook whose cover was in black and white contained in the thoughtfully filled box. The first book will definitely influence the photos I take on my upcoming return trip to the Tetons, while the second one immediately inspired me. Truth be told, I am a hard one to buy a cookbook for. Not only because I have an immense collection of more than five hundred cookbooks, but because I am rather fussy about which ones I want to own, which ones I think I will learn something from, and which ones contain recipes I want to make. From the moment I opened "Outside: Recipes for a Wilder Way of Eating" by English chef Gill Meller, I knew this was one of those 'rare' cookbooks. The first recipe to get my attention was the one for a Lettuce and Celery Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing. 

There were two things about this recipe that intrigued me. First, was the simplicity of a salad made with only Little Gems (or butter lettuce) and fresh summer celery. Never had I ever thought of creating a salad combining these two ingredients. Second, was the recipe for the blue cheese dressing. One made with an interesting combination of ingredients. Again, not ones I would have ever combined together with blue cheese. Never did I imagine a dressing made with blue cheese, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, creme fraiche, mayonnaise and extra-virgin olive oil could be so complexly flavorful. Nor did I ever think both the salad and the dressing would be ones I will be serving regularly when having friends for dinner. In other words, this will be the new 'house' salad. At least for now.

As luck would have it, my local Farmer's Market had freshly cut stalks of summer celery for sale. I took that as an omen. After gathering all of the other necessary ingredients, I made the salad and the dressing as soon as I got home. Because I couldn't wait. It took only one bite and I was in a rare state of salad euphoria. The savory blue cheese paired with the tart apple cider vinegar, sweet honey, subtle pungency of the garlic, the creaminess of the creme fraiche and mayonnaise, and richness of the extra-virgin olive oil created the most phenomenal dressing I had ever tasted. 

The Little Gem lettuce is the smaller, sweeter baby sibling of romaine. In addition to its' sweet, crisp flavor, it cradled the dressing perfectly. Because the dressing is a little on the 'thicker side, it definitely needs a 'heartier' lettuce to hold up to it, without smothering it. 

Last, but not least, were the sprinkling of toasted walnut halves over the salad. They added an earthy richness to the salad. A perfect finishing touch for this seemingly simple salad.

With the exception of adding a little more olive oil and slightly more apple cider vinegar, I made no other alterations to the dressing. I should point out that the dressing is on the thick side. If I had wanted it just slightly thinner, I would have added a little more olive oil or maybe a little milk. Make to your preferred consistency, but don't thin it too much or it will lose its' impact.

For the blue cheese I used one made by Point Reyes as it has a slightly creamy texture. If you can't find it at your favorite grocery store or cheese shop, ask for the creamiest blue cheese they sell. 

If you are a lover of beautiful, flavorful salads and a big fan of blue cheese, then this is the salad for you! Serve it with some grilled fish, chicken, or beef, a loaf of bread, and a bottle of wine or sparkling water. Finish your meal with your favorite dessert, preferably one using seasonal ingredients or made with chocolate. More than likely, when everyone leaves, they will go home remembering the salad.

Recipe

Lettuce and Celery Salad w/ Blue Cheese Dressing

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

5 to 6  ounces Little Gem or Butterhead Lettuce, had cut into medium sized pieces

5-6 stalks of fresh celery, cut into 1/4" pieces on the diagonal

Large handful of walnut halves, toasted

5 sprigs of chives, cut into half inch pieces

5 to 51/2 ounces of your favorite creamy blue cheese (see notes)

1 small garlic clove finely minced or grated

2 teaspoons of dijon mustard

2 teaspoons of pourable honey, plus more to taste

1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons creme fraiche

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher or sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Begin by making the dressing. Crumble the blue cheese into a medium sized bowl. Add in the garlic, honey, mustard, vinegar and a pinch of black pepper. Use a fork to mash into a coarse paste. Note: Do not get rid of all of the bits of blue cheese. 

2. Work in the creme fraiche and mayonnaise. Mix until well blended. 

3. Whisk in the olive oil until reaching desired consistency. Add salt to taste. Note: If you want your dressing slightly thinner add in some additional olive oil, one tablespoon at a time.

4. In a large bowl, add in the torn lettuce leaves and celery. 

5. Spoon half of the dressing over the mixture. Use your hands to gently coat the lettuce and celery. Transfer to your serving dish.

6. Sprinkle the chopped chives and toasted walnut halves over the salad.

7. Spoon small dollops of the remaining dressing over the salad. Lightly season with black pepper and Kosher or seal salt. Serve immediately. Note: You will have some left over dressing. Do not use it all on this salad.

Notes: (1) I used Point Reyes Blue Cheese. (2) Sour cream is the easiest substitute for creme fraiche, but it's not as rich and tangy. Whole foods usually carries creme fraiche.

Grand Tetons, Wyoming, May 2024

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Once the dog days of summer arrive here in the midwest, I make an attempt to avoid making anything requiring a long cooking time in a hot oven.  However, even in the heat and humidity, I still have cravings for 'hot' foods. There is something rather comforting, more satisfying about a hot dish. Whether it's the appetizer, the meal or the dessert, I am happy if one of those things are on the warm side. If it's something with a relatively short cooking time and moderate baking temperature, then I really don't mind turning on the oven. Being able to enjoy a 'hot' appetizer, one hearty enough to be a small meal, having a baking time around thirty minutes, and requiring an oven temperature of only 400 degrees (F) on a hot day is a guilty pleasure. And this delicious Spinach Artichoke Dip hits all the right notes.

It's been seven years since I shared the one and only Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip recipe on the blog. But this newest one has less ingredients, is incredibly flavorful, slightly addictive, lighter, and just might be what a great spinach artichoke dip was meant to be. It's definitely worth making on a hot day! 

Shredded Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, Kosher salt, and black pepper along with the zest and some of the juice of a Meyer lemon are all you need to create this divinely delicious dip. While artichoke hearts marinated in olive oil (but drained) might add more flavor than artichoke hearts packed in water (and drained), you can use either. You can grate your own cheese or buy packaged shredded cheese, although there will be a discernible difference in flavor between the two. If there is one thing you really shouldn't substitute, it's the Meyer Lemon. Why? Well, it's because Meyer lemons are less acidic, sweeter, and brighter in flavor compared to the everyday tart lemon variety. 

The entire recipe comes together in one bowl and requires only a whisk and spatula. For the best texture, begin by whisking the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream together until smooth and creamy. Then mix in all of the remaining ingredients until well blended.

Transfer the mixture to a buttered casserole dish, sprinkle with a little more cheese and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven. While the Spinach Artichoke Dip is baking make your crostini on the grill. Or instead of serving the dip with some crostini, serve with tortilla chips, grilled naan, crackers, or even a sliced baguette. 

Because this creamy, flavorful, impressive Spinach Artichoke Dip doesn't require any seasonal ingredients, you can make it year round. With plenty of summer entertaining opportunities still remaining, you might not want to wait until cooler temperatures arrive to make it. It would be the perfect appetizer to serve if you are having friends over for an Olympic Watch party! It's guaranteed to be a gold winner!

Recipe

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

10 ounce (287g) package of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of any liquid

15 ounce (340g) jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

8 ounce (225g) package of cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (56g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup (56g) Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

1/4 cup (70g) mayonnaise

1/4 cup (70g) sour cream

Zest from a medium sized Meyer Lemon

1 Tablespoon Meyer Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Butter, for preparing the pan

Small handful of the grated cheeses for topping the dish before baking

Crostini, Grilled Naan, Tostitos, crackers or a sliced baguette for serving.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F).

2. Butter a 9" round or 10" oval baking dish. Set aside. Note: Use a cast iron pan if possible.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth and creamy.

4. Add in the remaining ingredients. Use a spatula to blend.

5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with a small handful of some additionally grated or shredded Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses.

6. Place dish on a baking sheet and insert into the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned on top and heated through.

7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Note: The dip is still really good as it cools.

Notes: (1) Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave. (2) Because there is less mayonnaise in this recipe as compared to the one shared years ago, it is lighter in taste. (3) You can make the Spinach Artichoke Dip early in the day. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before placing in the preheated oven.

Levain Style Lemon Cookies

Every now and then I surprise myself. While I am almost always happy with how a new recipe turns out, there have only been a few times when I wanted to stand in the middle of street with a megaphone and announce to the neighborhood that I have just created the absolutely best thing in the universe. This would be one of those rare 'forget having any sense of humility' moments. Rather it would be one of those unabashedly, shamelessly hubris moments. The creation of these Levain Style Lemon Cookies has unleashed a monster in me. Because this is absolutely, unequivocally the BEST, GREATEST, MOST INSANELY DELECTABLE, CRAVEWORTHY, GORGEOUS lemon cookie on the planet. Possibly the universe. There I said it. I have never been so bold in my entire life. But this cookie, well this freaking amazing cookie has brought out the best of the worst in me.

I could take complete responsibility for the creation of this cookie had I not been gently pushed (in the best of ways) by my dear friend Linda. It was she who asked me months ago if I could re-create the Levain Lemon Cookie as she absolutely loves all things lemon flavored. In spite of having created several Levain style cookies for the blog, I wasn't exactly sure I could replicate this one without creating a 'break the bank' confection. Lemon flavored chips were the sticking or rather should I say sticker shock point. Once I learned others had used white chocolate chips as an alternative, I knew my next biggest challenge would be to create a cookie having the 'right' amount of lemon flavor. Not one overpowering or cloyingly sweet with the flavor of lemon, but one having a more subtle, but still discerning lemon flavor to be detected in each mouthwatering bite.  

There were a myriad of options to consider for infusing lemon flavor into the cookie dough. Freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, lemon paste and/or any combination of the aforementioned. My gut was telling me to use only lemon zest and lemon paste. Some will say there isn't any difference between lemon extract and lemon paste, but I happen to be one that disagrees. The thicker lemon paste delivers a much better, less acidic lemon flavor. And while lemon juice can add some bitterness. lemon zest infuses concentrated amounts of sweet, citrus flavor. But figuring out the quantities of each was going to take a bit of thinking.

 

Having made Levain style cookies before I knew I would be using a combination of all-purpose and cake flours, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, Kosher salt, eggs (one large egg, one large egg yolk), unsalted butter, and alot of chips. Compared to my other Levain style cookies, this recipe uses different amounts of sugars, baking powder, baking soda, Kosher salt and chips. Some less, some more. I knew I would get a sense of whether or not I made the right decisions when I mixed and then tasted the batter. If there was thing I learned very long time ago is that 'the batter never lies'. If the consistency doesn't look or feel right, the cookie won't turn out right. If the batter doesn't taste right, the cookie won't have an optimal flavor. In other words, a bad batter isn't salvageable. 

To chill or not to chill the dough was yet another decision I needed to make. I decided to let the balls of dough chill for slightly over an hour. Just enough time for the to dough rest and hold its' shape when it went into a hot preheated oven. I knew i didn't want the tops of my cookies to be smooth, so I used the roll into a ball, break in half, bring the halves together method so I would have cookies with that beautiful bakery style craggle-y top. 

This recipe makes 8 ginormous cookies. In order to get them to bake evenly, the balls of dough must be weighed. Each ball of dough weighs a little more than 6 ounces. Because they are so huge, it's important to bake only four cookies at a time. When baking, I decided to use the two tray method. One tray turned upside down and the tray with the cookie balls set on top (so two tray bottoms are touching one another). I am not certain I can explain the science behind why this works with large over-sized cookies, but it does.

Baking time for the Levain Style Lemon Cookies ranged from 17-18 minutes in a preheated 375 degree (F) oven or just until the cookies were a beautiful golden brown. Key to their doneness was to allow the cookies to rest on the hot cookie sheet for at least 8-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. The heat from the pan helps to continue to bake the cookies without drying them out or burning their bottoms. Additionally that rest time makes it easier to transfer them to a cooling rack.

The texture and flavor and these cookies are perfect. You can definitely smell and taste the flavor of the lemon. We absolutely loved the level of lemon flavoring in theses cookies. It was detectable, yet subtle in the best of ways. 

If the Pancake Princess ever did a Levain Style Lemon Cookie bake-off I want to enter this recipe. If I ever wanted to brighten the day of friend who loved lemon flavored cookies, I would bake up and deliver a batch of these cookies. Or if I ever wanted to enter (and win) a cookie contest, I would make these cookies. Which speaks volumes since I absolutely love my chocolate chip cookies. 

In all seriousness, I take a big risk when I shamelessly gush about how fabulous these cookies are. In part because not everyone follows 'the' recipe, measures the ingredients, or bakes in an elevation similar to the one in the midwest. Yet, in spite all of these factors, I will end by saying this may be BEST, MOST SCRUMPTIOUS, TO DIE FOR, SHOW STOPPING, DIVINE cookie I have ever made in my entire life. There I said it!

Recipe

Levain Style Lemon Cookies

Makes 8 humungous cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

2/3 cup (134g) light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

Zest from one large lemon

1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Paste (See Notes)

2 1/4 cups (293g) all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 cup (118g) cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

16 ounces (453g) white chocolate chips

Directions

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter for approximately 1 minute.

2. Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 4 minutes).

3. Add in the egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, and lemon extract. Beat until well blended.

4.In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and Kosher salt. Add in the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Beat on low-medium speed until the dry ingredients are almost all incorporated.

5. Add in the white chocolate chips. Mix until completely blended (and no white streaks of flour remain).

6. Roll in 8 balls, slightly more than 6 ounces (171g) each. Break each ball in half and press sides into each other to create a round ball with a top of the craggle-y edges.

7. Place balls of dough onto a platter or baking sheet. Cover and chill for 60-90 minutes.

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

9. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Note: You will bake only one sheet at a time (unless you have a double oven).

10. Place 4 balls of dough on a baking sheet.

11. Turn a baking sheet upside down. Place the baking sheet with the balls of dough on top of it. Insert onto the middle rack of the oven and bake for 17-18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Note: Rotate the baking sheet midway through the baking process and check for doneness at the 16 minute mark.

12. Remove from the oven and let the cookies remain on the hot cookie sheet for at least 8 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

13. Bake the remaining cookie sheet.

14. Let the cookies cool before devouring.

15. Store the baked cookies at room temperature. Ideally store them individually in a cellophane bag or waxed bag. To recreate the just out of the oven taste, reheat in the microwave at high for 8-10 seconds.

Notes: (1) I used the lemon paste from Neilson-Massey. (2) If you would like a slightly stronger lemon flavor either increase the lemon paste to 2 teaspoons or add some additional lemon zest. (3) I used the Ghiradelli white chocolate chips.

Wildlife in Yellowstone, May 2024